Contribute a random act of kindness to the world today. People notice.

Last night, I had to stop off to pick up something at the store for small groups. I had one item to pay for and the woman in front of me let me pay first. How nice!

Take a moment to appreciate your freedoms.

Whether in the US or not, many, if not all, of us have freedoms we would not have without others fighting for them across the years. Remember that today.

Turn your lights on when driving. It gets dark earlier these days. Oops…I made that misstep last night driving to small groups. It wasn’t totally dark yet, but when I pulled into the store parking lot I realized I forgot to turn them on.

Sign up for the Holiday Gift Exchange.

We already have over 30 signed up. Be sure you are able to participate, then join in!

Call someone special you haven’t spoken to in awhile. A good friend, parent, sibling, etc would love to hear from you today!

God loves you. He REALLY loves you.

Enjoy that cookie, dinner out, non-sugar-free latte, etc guilt free. Take care of your health, but always remember balance is part of that.

Drink your water. It will make you feel good, I promise.

Smile. It will make you feel better, too. I promise. 🙂

Look around you and see the beauty everywhere.

Even sitting in traffic, like I was last night, you can look out your window and see a cotton-candy colored sky. Life is beautiful.

• What “public service announcement” would you like to give others today?

I feel beautiful today. No, I don’t have a nice outfit on or my hair done up just so. In fact, I’m still hanging out in my workout clothes from this morning’s at-home full body circuit that left me sweaty. Don’t judge.

Understandably, I feel more beautiful today than I did 5-6 years ago when I was at the peak of my binging issues. Not surprisingly, I feel more beautiful today than I did 2-3 years ago as I sorted through the mental muck and finally began feeling in control of my food and emotional struggles. And despite the occasional down day, I have felt more beautiful each and every day since beginning this blog.

WHY? Writing this blog forced me out of my comfort zone. It made me vulnerable. The act of putting myself out there so publicly has reinforced my sense of beauty more so than anything else. Every time I peel away another layer of myself I open up another opportunity for growth. I learn more about myself. I become more aware and more grounded in who I am. I see my true self staring me in the face and cannot help but to love her. To love me.

Each step I take where I embrace vulnerability and expose myself gives me strength. Remember me and my pregnant belly in a bikini out there for the whole world to see? Talk about vulnerable! And strong. I know it took guts to post that. Yet I have never felt more beautiful in any other picture.

Just as I have never felt more loved than when I confessed to Peter my struggles with binging and cried many, many tears on his shoulder. Just as I have never felt more hopeful than when I finally turned to God and said “I can’t do it on my own. Help me love myself like you love me”. Just as I have never felt more powerful than declaring my hopes and dreams for my personal future publicly, despite the doubt and judgment some may share. Being vulnerable isn’t something to fear. It’s something to celebrate. It helps you more clearly see yourself…and YOU are something to celebrate too.

This post is part of the Self-Discovery Word by Word blogging series, started by Ashley last month. Click for more details on how to participate with your own post.

• What ways do you make yourself vulnerable? How do they impact you? Feel free to link up posts of yours sharing a vulnerable, yet empowering, moment.
• What moments and situations make you feel proud of who you are?