Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

In the past few days, I have been having a difficult time with reruns of my old mental tapes. They have been stuck on repeat and are painful and exhausting. The tapes star negativity with cameos by insecurity and self doubt. They are so familiar to me that I don’t even know they are playing until I am almost drowning and can hardly breath.  Last night as I was reading an article on This Dish is Veg , I saw a beacon of light…..a ray so slender and bright, it could only be born of positivity and love. The article was about unique and compassionate ways to celebrate Valentines Day.

One of the suggestions was to leave anonymous, positive affirmation post-it notes in public places like bathroom mirrors and locker rooms as a reminder to anyone that reads them that they are beautiful and lovable. According to the article by Amanda J, this act of selfless sticky noting is called Operation Beautiful. It is a movement  created by Caitlin Boyle when she began leaving loving notes throughout her living space to challenge and eliminate her own negative self talk. She took her positive post-its on the road and began leaving them all over town. Now Caitlin encourages all of us to eradicate, challenge, quiet our negative self talk by leaving loving notes for ourselves and others. All you need to participate is a pen and a post-it. Send Caitlin an email at OperationBeautiful@gmail.com with a photograph of your Operation Beautiful note or a description of your experience, and she will post it on the Operation Beautiful site.

This week if I had found a post- it note on a public bathroom mirror that said, “You are lovable just the way you are,”  I would have freaked out, cried, looked over my shoulder and then tried, even if just for a moment to absorb it and believe it. For that reason alone, I am going to purchase  a pack of colorful post-its, a special pen and engage in Operation Beautiful. For myself and for any woman that uses a public restroom after me that needs a reminder that she is unique, perfect and beautiful exactly the way she is.

Have a delicious weekend.

Tags: living compassionately, negative self talk, Operation Beautiful, positive affirmations