by Brittany Geragotelis

Do you ever find yourself saying, “There’s nothing I can do to change the world”? Well, if so, get ready to bite your tongue, because we have proof that one person can make a difference. Sick of the way women let their inner bully’s beat up on their self-esteem, 24-year-old Caitlin Boyle wrote a note on a Post-It reminding herself that, “You are beautiful!” and then left it on the mirror of a public restroom.

What resulted was a global movement of positive thinking as women all over began to leave their own notes of encouragement for strangers who might need to be reminded of their total awesomeness. In Operation Beautiful: Transforming the Way You See Yourself One Post-It Note at a Time, published earlier this month, Caitlin’s brought all those beautiful messages to the public. Check out what this do-gooder had to say about self-esteem, how to create change and the power of the Post-It.

AC: How did you come up with the idea for Operation Beautiful?

Caitlin Boyle: I was having a very stressful day and wanted to do something nice for a stranger to lift my own spirits. I wrote, “You are beautiful” on a Post-It and put it on a public bathroom mirror. Then, I took a picture of the note and blogged about the experience on my personal blog, www.HealthyTippingPoint.com. The concept quickly went viral and the rest is beautiful history!

AC: When did you know this could be something that could change the way women look at themselves?

Caitlin: I began receiving emails from women that began with, “I found a note and I feel like it changed my life…” These powerful messages convinced me that one small note really could make a big difference!

AC: Why do you think it’s been so effective?

Caitlin: I think it’s so effective because if you find a note, it’s unexpected and surprising.  To know that a stranger wants you to see yourself in a more positive way can really make the negative thoughts stop. When posting the notes, I think people are really writing the messages to themselves. And it’s impossible not to be positive when you’re flooding yourself with positive messages!

AC: What’s been your favorite PostIt message? Why?

Caitlin: My favorite story is Vit’s. Vit was a teenager in Canada and was in a treatment center for severe anorexia. Her doctors were concerned that it was eventually going to kill her. She slipped into the bathroom to throw up and found an Operation Beautiful note on the stall. The simple message, “You are good enough the way you are,” made her pause and reconsider her destructive behavior. She followed up with me a few months later and said she was out of the hospital and healthier than ever. Vit knew a stranger had posted the note, but she felt like the timing was a message from God.

AC: Did you have any idea this project would become so big?

Caitlin: I really didn’t! I just wanted to do something nice for a stranger. I never thought that it would go viral like this—but I’m so glad it did!

AC: What message do you hope this sends to people?

Caitliln: I hope people realize that being beautiful is about being balanced, healthy and happy. It’s not just about what you look like, it’s about how you treat yourself.

AC: What do you think are the biggest put-downs that we attribute to ourselves and what are the realities?

Caitlin: The biggest mistake we make is beating ourselves up for not looking like models or celebrities. Ninety-nine percent of the images in magazines are photo-shopped in some way. It’s time we stop emulating or striving for a type of perfection that doesn’t even exist in the real world. It’s OK to look human!

AC: How can young people change the negative ways they look at themselves?

Caitlin: If you have a negative thought, replace it with a positive, realistic one.  Consciously correct yourself if you engage in “Fat Talk.” Posting Operation Beautiful notes can also help to lift your spirits!

AC: How can one person make a difference?

Caitlin: A little kindness goes a long way—you never know the impact one little note or kind word will have on another person. It can literally change their lives.

AC: How has your life changed because of Operation Beautiful?

Caitlin: Running the site and writing the book has made me a more gracious, accepting person. There are so many different, wonderful and amazing women out there with great stories. There is truly beauty in all of us.

For more on Caitlin and Operation Beautiful, visit her today at OperationBeautiful.com

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