You Are Beautiful

Many years ago I received a package in the mail.

Ooooo a package! But what could it be? I opened it up and found 1,000 stickers that said ‘YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL’. It was a package from a beautiful man who I was dating a few months earlier while in Nepal. At first I thought his thoughtful gift was a message for how beautiful he thought I was. I felt appreciated seen and loved. I thought I was supposed to bathe in these stickers or stick them all over my wall in order to enjoy them all.

It took me about 3 minutes to realize these stickers were not all for me. I was supposed to share them. To pass them around and remind others of their own beauty. These stickers became my great allies and I put them in my bag with me. They traveled all around the world along with a few of my other special, sacred altar items.

In the act of sharing these stickers, I witnessed moments of transformation and connection. People would stumble upon them and be captivated by their simple yet profound message. Smiles would spread across their faces, and sometimes tears would even well up in people’s eyes. Sometimes I would also give several stickers out to one person so they could then go on and share them with strangers and loved ones. The ripple effects of these small acts of kindness are infinite.

The stickers, once sent to me as a loving gesture, became a catalyst for a collective experience of recognizing and honoring our individual and collective beauty. These special little stickers not only served as a constant reminder of our inherent beauty but also taught me the power of sharing. Through this simple act, I witnessed firsthand how a small gesture of love could help transform lives and create a ripple of positive change. Some individuals held onto these stickers for years, placing them in meaningful locations such as mirrors, phones, and windows, as daily reminders to honor their beauty.

The impact of this one loving act of kindness continued to expand, as the stickers were passed from person to person, spreading love, self-acceptance, and empowerment. Each sticker became a symbol of hope and inspiration, reminding us to embrace our unique beauty and to celebrate the beauty in everyone we meet.

Founder of the You Are Beautiful stickers, Matthew Hoffman, started placing these stickers in public spaces, on walls, street signs, and other surfaces where people would encounter them unexpectedly. The element of surprise added an extra layer of impact, catching individuals off guard and inviting them to pause, reflect, and internalize the message. The stickers became hidden treasures, waiting to be discovered by those who needed a reminder of their inherent worth and beauty.

So, let us never underestimate the power of simple acts of kindness. A package of stickers sent with love transformed into a movement of self-empowerment and connection. May we continue to pass these messages of beauty along, expanding the ripple of kindness.