Sunday Notes – November 8, 2009

A message from Caitlin, the Editor of Operation Beautiful:

 

Last night, Operation Beautiful won the Blogger Humanitarian Effort Award at the 1st Annual FoodBuzz Festival Awards.   ‘

I think winning this Award is extra-special to me because Operation Beautiful is not “my thing,” really.  It’s OUR thing. Operation Beautiful would’ve never gone past the first note I randomly decided to post if other bloggers and readers hadn’t taken up the cause and made it what is it today.

 

There were lots of other great blog charities up for the award, including Chez Pim & Menu for Hope, No Recipes/Blog Away Hunger, and Share our Strength Virtual Bakesale.  Check them out!  So… THANK YOU!  Thanks for voting, and thanks for continuing to support Operation Beautiful.  As I always say… Who knew one little Post-It could turn into something so BIG? 

Here are today’s notes!

JillyBeans posted this note:

Ema said, “After discovering Operation Beautiful, I literally just sat there with my jaw dropped. It’s such a simple gesture that can change someone’s entire life. This inspired me so much that I put a note on every freshman girls’ locker telling her that she is beautiful. It took hours and many hand crampings, but it’s completely worth it. If I make one girl change her outlook on weight then I will be completely satisfied.  Thank you so much for inspiring me and so many others. Together we can all make a difference.”

Lora wrote, “Last night my BFF and I went for a night run in the rain…danced in the streets and loved every minute of being FREE! Here is a post pic….soaking wet, make-up free and cold.”

Paige said, “I posted one of these notes in one of the women’s restroom at my college a few weeks ago. Not only is it STILL there, someone moved it to the center of the mirror.”

Amanda wrote, “I had been battling bulimia off and on for about two years. I wasn’t binging and purging, but I was purging normal meals. When I got pregnant with my son, I stopped the cycle with the help of therapy. But stress and pressure got the best of me, and I was back into my habit. One evening after I finished a meal at a local restaurant, I went to the bathroom. Waving bye-bye to my son, I felt so guilty and so dirty for wanting to purge. I ran into the stall to forgo stranger’s stares as I began to cry, and saw a pink, brightly-colored piece of paper above the toilet. I looked at it and it simply said "Love yourself for who you are. Others do.www.operationbeautiful.com " At that moment, the pieces fit. My husband, my family, my son, my friends…if they all love me, why can’t I love myself?”  Amanda sent this picture out as a TwitPic so all her Twitter friends could see it!

Ashley said, “I found this in a bathroom on campus where I teach. About 80% of girls on campus are in a sorority, and while that’s not a bad thing, it does contribute to an overwhelming desire to try to look like the most popular girl in the house. It made my heart glad to see a message like this go out, and smile to realize that the morning cleaning staff hadn’t removed it.”

Ksenia said, “I saw an Operation Beautiful note in my school’s bathroom on the mirror.  It made my friends’ and my day! It truly gave me self-confidence and a bounce in my step for the rest of the day. I remember the note word for word, I went into the bathroom to go fix my makeup and I saw the note it read, ‘You don’t need a mirror to know you’re beautiful!’ This website has really changed me!”

If you love Operation Beautiful and want to participate, post a note, take a picture, and e-mail it to Caitlin at seebriderun@gmail.com.  SPREAD THE LOVE!