BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY: OPERATION BEAUTIFUL

“Operation Beautiful” by Caitlin Boyle

Description:

Inspired by the popular blog operationbeautiful.com, this empowering book showcases the notes that women around the world have posted and the stories behind them, along with interviews and tips for improving one’s outlook on life (in b&w photos). An empowering book with photos, notes, and true stories about an underground campaign to recognize the true beauty within every woman.

Tired of watching women pick themselves apart in front of the mirror, blogger Caitlin Boyle scribbled a note on a Post-it: “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!” and slapped it on the mirror of a public bathroom. With one small act, she kick-started a movement. In a matter of days, women were undertaking their own feats of resistance, posting uplifting notes on gym lockers, diet shakes in supermarkets, weight-loss guides in bookstores, and anywhere else a nagging voice of self-criticism might lurk. Emboldening and contagious, the “operation” has attracted widespread attention from the media, including the New York Daily News and salon.com.

Operation Beautiful showcases the notes women have posted around the world and the stories behind them, along with interviews, interesting research findings, and tips for improving one’s outlook on life. Blending a confessional tone with gutsy observations about redefining beauty, the chapters address key issues for women of all ages, including Fighting Fat Talk, Family and Friends, Food, Fitness, Faith, and Going Forward. In the scrapbook tradition of Post Secret and Davy Rothbart’s Found, Operation Beautiful is filled with black-and-white photos and a two-color design, making it the perfect gift for any friend, sister, daughter, or niece.

About the Author
Caitlin Boyle is the editor of www.operationbeautiful.com and writes a daily food and fitness blog, www.healthytippingpoint.com. Previously, she has served as a contributing columnist for The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

My Review
Have you taken the time today to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I am beautiful!!”. If you haven’t, then I want you to STOP and do that right now!! I will wait….did you go? Did you say it out loud – “I am beautiful!”? Don’t worry about the fact that you may be overweight, or not wearing makeup. Maybe  your hair is a mess, or you aren’t feeling that great about yourself today.

Negative talk truly hurts you emotionally, spiritually, and physically…it causes depression, that feeling of being “drained” or not worth it…but no matter where you are in life, or what you are doing ~ You have to believe in yourself, and know that you are a beautiful person, and that you ARE worth it! When you read Operation Beautiful, I assure you that you will definitely “feel the love”. I was incredibly moved by the stories, experiences, and more than 125 notes posted by random strangers. Its amazing how powerful this “operation” truly is.

You know that saying, “Smile, and the world will smile back…”? That is what this book truly is all about – sending a positive message to the world, that the ideal body image is what you make of it. You don’t have to be super model thin, or celebrity gorgeous…because you are who you are – a beatiful person inside and out.

I would highly recommend this book to any person…it will truly transform the way you see yourself. You will become a more positive, confident and (possibly) generous person when you take the time to share with others how “beautiful” they are. All it takes is a piece of paper and a pen – a positive message and taking the time to put in on the bathroom wall, Slim Fast or your office bulletin board.

To learn more about “Operation Beautiful”, you can visit their website, like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. You can also purchase the book for yourself or a friend at Amazon.com