What if your jewelry could inspire you? Did you know that inspiration is important to happiness, creativity, productiveness and even overall well-being? Inspiration even elevates optimism and self-esteem. What are some sources of inspiration in life? Many people find inspiration in nature, religion, family relationships, achievements and in embracing life’s opportunities. This sounds important, so what if you could inspire yourself with the jewelry you wear? Many people choose to invest in inspirational jewelry to remind them of these important and meaningful moments and keep the inspiration present in their daily lives.
What is an example of inspirational jewelry? This would be a piece of jewelry with a symbol that has meaning for you. It could include faith symbols such as a cross, an Alpha and Omega cross, a Star of David or angel wings. It could also include jewelry with inscriptions to help you remember goals or ideals that are important to you such as ‘Faith’ or “Courage”. Maybe you wear something for good luck such as an evil-eye, Hamsa, or a saint pendant. It can even be jewelry to celebrate a special relationship, such as a Claddagh ring (did you know there is a correct way to wear a Claddagh ring? More about that later!)
Meaningful jewelry is the perfect way to commemorate an occasion or honor something close to your heart.
Why wear jewelry with meaning?
Many people wear symbolic or meaningful jewelry to inspire and motivate themselves. Seeing and touching it can be an uplifting reminder throughout the day. How often do you notice the rings or bracelets you wear? How many times do you play with or adjust a necklace? Each of these moments is an opportunity to be reinspired. As a bonus, many of these jewelry pieces become heirloom treasures handed down to family or friends, thus passing along the inspiration!
Let’s delve into the meaning of some common symbols:
The Hamsa and evil eye jewelry are ancient symbols believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits, bad luck, or negative energies. The Hamsa dates to Mesopotamia and is also known as the Hand of Fatima in Islam or the Hand of Miriam in Judaism. It is a sign of protection, power, and strength.
The cross and the Alpha and Omega cross are Christian symbols that denote a choice to follow Christ’s teachings. The Alpha and Omega cross has been used by Catholics as long ago as the 4th century to express the belief that God is infinite and eternal. Wearing a cross expresses faith and confidence in God’s love and ability to save those who accept Christ as their savior, and their willingness to “take up the cross” of discipleship.
A Claddagh ring symbolizes the three elements that create a perfect relationship: a heart for love, a crown for loyalty, and two hands clasped in friendship. The Claddagh ring is a common engagement and wedding ring in Ireland and has a correct way to be worn:
When worn on the left hand, it signifies “married” if the heart faces inward and “engaged” if the heart faces outwards. Worn on the right hand, the heart faces inwards if the wearer is in a relationship, or outwards if the wearer is single. The ring can also represent the Holy Trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
How do you style inspirational jewelry?
There are so many ways to wear inspirational jewelry! The best rule of thumb is to wear what makes you happy! Here are some suggestions for styling an inspirational piece of jewelry:
Make it the focal point. If you want your inspirational pendant to be the focus, wear a simple chain or station necklace in a different length as a layering piece. Mixing metals is very trendy right now, so don’t worry about having to wear silver with silver or gold with gold. Another good layer to add interest is a strand of pearls or a string of colored beads. Again, this should be a different length than the necklace it is being layered with.
Layer it in a stack. If you want to wear multiple pendants, find pendants of differing sizes such as a dainty one and a more substantial one. Also, have pendants on different chain lengths with enough differences in length that each pendant sits separately on your décolletage. A small charm on an 18” chain would pair well with a larger pendant on a 22” chain. Other chains and beaded strands could be added to this stack as well. Stacking smaller pendants on top, with larger pendants on the bottom tends to be more pleasing to the eye.
Combine it with other pendants. Another way an inspirational pendant could be worn is to add it to one or more pendants on the same chain. While it is less likely to stand out, a grouping of differently shaped charms and pendants is a fun way to add several meaningful pieces to one necklace. For example, a cross combined with a birthstone bead and circular initial charm makes a very personal and meaningful piece of jewelry.
Does inspirational jewelry make a good gift?
Inspirational jewelry is perfect for gift-giving! Such a personal gift can inspire another person as they remember important events or achievements. It can also be a reminder of the giver’s gratitude and love. Popular times for these types of gifts include Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, birthday and Christmas.
Choosing a wearable item that symbolizes something important shared between the giver and receiver is a perfect way to memorialize life events, meaningful memories and shared values, after all a part of what makes a gift special is the meaning attached to it. A gift of an inspirational piece of jewelry says, “I want you to remember this event/day/person/feeling every day.”
Gifting ideas for inspirational jewelry:
• Give a child their first cross necklace at Easter. This also makes a meaningful Easter gift for a new adult convert.
• Gift a loved one embarking on a new life adventure an evil eye pendant or a favorite patron saint pendant.
• Mark the importance of graduation with a Hamsa or cross to express belief that they can move confidently into the next phase of life.
• Birthdays are a good time to memorialize an important event that happened in the year, such as overcoming a challenge. Charms or rings with meaningful words like “courage”, “strength” or “faith” make special gifts.
• Christmas is the perfect time to hand down heirloom pieces to someone who is ready to understand the significance and enjoy wearing a treasured piece of jewelry. Also, replicating an heirloom piece, or giving something that is similar so several people can enjoy and be inspired by it, makes for a Christmas to be remembered!
