I can hardly believe September comes tomorrow. Isn’t that what always happens, though? You await something with pure excitement, then the day oh so suddenly comes knocking on your door and you panic with nervousness. Yep. That’s me.

A few weeks ago I shared how I felt pulled to begin the 30 Days of Self-Love on the blog and asked for your support. The outpouring of support overwhelmed me and literally brought some tears to my eyes. To this day, as people continue to show their interest and let me know they are “in”, I get giddy with hope with what will come. Amidst all that, however, are some questions and insecurities.

I worry that it won’t be all I hope and that my posts and the shared reflections will fall much too short of what you all look for. I don’t want to let my fabulous readers and supporters down. I want us all to gain something from this and the fear of failure permeates my emotions.

I wonder how best to go about some of the technical posting details. I have recently gotten into a groove with my 2 shorter posts a day. They fit in my schedule well and make it easier to sit down to write with one concept in mind to share, instead of a day’s worth of stuff to sort through and try to keep to a readable post. I know I want the 30 days posts separate of anything else and posted in the morning by 8 am for people to have available to start their days.

So, I’m torn. Do I keep my normal posting and simply add the 30 Days posts in? Or do I exchange a normal post for the 30 Days post? I don’t want to overwhelm you with 3 posts a day. I certainly want the focus to be on the 30 Days and its participation, but would be lying if I said it wouldn’t bother me to do normal posts and those not get read. The 30 Days post will be very short and sweet, simply to spark some reflection and then allow for a comment to affirm part of your reflection, so I would hope they wouldn’t be burdensome when added with other posting, but it still worries me. I feel really silly typing that but I would be lying if I didn’t.

The last concern I will share (so as not to get too long winded) goes back to the beginning. Is it prideful of me to desire this to reach many different people? Is it wrong to have hopes and dreams for this movement/challenge? Was I crazy to even try this?

I can’t seem to help myself! I can’t even begin to describe how flustered I am to bother myself with such thought processes, but they are there. I want so badly for this to provide a positive experience for each person that it hurts. I will have to do something difficult. Even with all the faith I have, I still face difficulties with simply sitting back and trusting. That’s all I can do. Pray over each post and that God guides me to a message that can touch each individual. Pray for it to help us all love ourselves more and have a place of positivity and support together. And let Him do His thing while I’m just along for the ride. Bring. It. On. Please join us, will ya?

• How do you honestly feel about the posting? Would it bother you with an additional post or affect your reading of the blog and/or participation in the 30 Days?
• What do you have the hardest time with when approaching something new and extremely important to you?

I hope to see you all tomorrow with the first post!

Can I say how nice it felt to sleep in over an extra hour this morning? Because it did. Phenomenal actually. Although it did put me a bit behind in getting some things done. I’ll live and the world won’t collapse, so I’m cool with it.

For now, I want to share something my good friend Heather started recently. Her Faces of Beauty site. The site highlights women and why they believe in their beauty. Each post shows a gorgeous woman (because we are ALL gorgeous) with little to no make-up on and her statement of beauty. As this week will start the 30 Days of Self-Love, I feel compelled to share in positive affirmations of all forms. I hope you do as well and give her site a look. Then send your own image in! I already did mine!

My past has scars. Scars of not knowing how to love myself or even the belief that I should. These scars cloaked me until I was no longer visible. I masked my pain with an overwhelming need to control food and punish myself with excessive workouts. I cried myself to sleep so many times that my dreams lost their sense of peace and blurred with the nightmare of my hurt.

Somewhere along the way, though, the blindfold fell off. Something embraced me, solidified me, and showed me the true me. I began awakening each morning to take in the presence of this new sense of self. Those quiet moments helped to reaffirm my beauty. And now I know...

I am beautiful because God created me. I am beautiful because I have purpose, worth, and value in this world. I gave life to my children and the unconditional love that resides within me makes me beautiful too.

I am beautiful because I exude strength. I conquered depression, binge eating, anxiety, and hatred of my body. I am beautiful because I can forgive - myself and the person who caused much of my suffering. I am beautiful because I can lift weights, spin, kickbox, and sweat - pregnant or not.

I am beautiful because challenges do not stop me. I follow my passions to wherever they lead me - from self love challenges on my blog to sharing God's love with friends or strangers. I am beautiful because I am me. No one can take that away, so why on earth would I allow myself to do so? Love you for who you are. YOU are beautiful too!

Please check out the Faces of Beauty!!!

Update on the 30 Days of Self-Love - It’s coming! Day after tomorrow.Let’s get excitement flowing again! 😀 I sent out an email to all who commented on the “Are you in?” post. If you did not receive an email and would like to get the same information I will be sending out to others please let me know below with a comment.

• What makes you beautiful?
• Do you get stressed when you feel behind schedule or are you able to go with the flow? I typically stress myself, but today I knew I needed the rest and refused to let it bother me.