This guest post is from my forever (IRL: in real life) friend Katie. She is so amazing and is getting ready to start a new part in her life. I am SO excited for her. Make sure to stop by her blog, Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Journey and say hi to her!

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Imagine a scenario with me if you will. It’s the approaching the second weekend of June. You’ve already missed two prime swimming/sunning/socializing weekends. You’ve got to break down and do it; you’ve got to buy a bathing suit. You’re in a department store dressing room. You pull on the bottoms, struggle into the top, push your hair out of your face, fan yourself a little (Does it really *have* to be this hot in here??), take a deep breath and look back to take in your appearance. What is your response?

“Ugh, I hate my…..”

a.       Fat thighs

b.      Chubby stomach

c.       Pasty white skin

d.      Long neck

e.      All of the above

That first negative thought about your appearance gives way to another and then another. And then you’re attacking your personality, your social skills, whatever. Two minutes in you’re ready to rip off that bathing suit, throw on sweats and spend the weekend, not letting that little social butterfly inside of you come out but rather, on the couch with ice cream, watching that episode of Friends that you’ve already seen 178 times.

Why do we do this to ourselves? Why is that women as a whole often find it easier to say something negative about ourselves than to say something positive? Are we really that bad? Do we not have any redeeming qualities or characteristics? Let me tell you something:

You are beautiful. Yes, you. Especially you. You have so much to offer.

So what if Victoria’s Secret isn’t going to be blowing up your phone to appear in their next Annual Fashion Show? Does that make you less of a woman? No. You are who God created you. Embrace it. Own it. Love it.

Write yourself a little love note. Post it on your bathroom  mirror/office computer/the visor in your car/your snack drawer.

And then post little love notes for others. Go to Operation Beautiful (www.OperationBeautiful.com) to get some inspiration.

Now go out and be fabulous.

I’m Katie.

I’ve known Sarah since we were three. She made it clear that I knew that she had crushes (Yes, I’m pretty sure she used that word. Yes, at three.) on all of the boys in our preschool class and that I was to know my place. I blog at Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Journey. I am, in fact, an ordinary girl but my journey is anything but. And, I’m sure, yours is too. Come on over, I’d love to hear about it.

This post is from a sweet friend. KG from A City Girl in Alaska is taking over my blog for the day! Stop by her blog to say hi! She’s great!

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I love Sarah Ruth.

When she asked me to guest post, I was totally blown away. And then I realized I didn’t know what to talk about.

Sarah is so open and genuine, while I tend to hide behind humor. What could I possibly say of importance?

In truth, I am a very boring person.

I mean, I wasn’t always boring. In fact, I once had pink hair, and I gotta tell you, I rocked it.

Sadly, my days of pink hair, black eyeliner and studded belts are long gone.

I guess that is what happens when you grow up.

Well, not everyone grows up. Some people get weirder as they get older…like Elton John and Paula Abdul.

But I am not a pop star, I am a normal person.

Normal and boring.

I’m married, I work in an office, I cook (barely), I clean (rarely), and yet, I’m hardly a functioning adult.

Really, I feel bad for my husband, he constantly runs around picking up my messes. He has to remind me to do laundry, pick up the mail, put gas in the car, and to pay bills before I spend money on sushi and iTunes.

At this point, I have learned to “fake it til you make it”…. because, I’m still waiting for the day I feel like I’m an actual grown up.

Maybe that day will come when I become a parent. But I doubt it.

My older friends tell me I’ll never grow up, and that’s okay.

I think I keep them young.

I love to laugh, and dance, and play.

I sing Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus in the shower, I watch iCarly on Nickelodeon, and I love sparkly vampires.

I’m not afraid to show it.

Some days I want to wear Converse to work instead of heels, and sometimes I want to sleep in til’ noon and not clean my room.

I used to use my clothes and hair and make up to show others I was unique.

But eventually I grew out of that.

Now I use my words to show the world who I really am.

And although I no longer stand out in a crowd, I like myself, even when I can’t go five minutes without saying “dude” or “awesome”.

Like I said, I’m totally normal.

( I know, ya’ll wanna see the pink hair…here ya go… )