Add Yours!
What is the sticky note project?
The sticky note project originated from a local nonprofit organization I am volunteering with. The Love Yourself Organization is run by founder Wendy Garner. While volunteering, she showed me a stack of sticky notes she had made with the words "I love myself because..." printed across the top. She explained that she had brought these sticky notes to the schools and fundraisers she had attended and asked people to fill them out. Learning about her sticky note project sparked an interest in me. Inspired, we decided to team up and spread this prompt further. While gathering more responses, I took her stack of completed sticky notes and turned them into usable digital data that could be studied and expanded upon. All new notes were added to this spreadsheet as they were accumulated. During this process, I had the idea to take it a step further and create a continuation of her project that could give advice based on the answers received. And just like that the "I Love Myself Because.." website was created.
What is the purpose?
The purpose of Wendy's sticky notes and the "I Love Myself Because..." website is the same: to start a conversation about your self-image and mental health. The sticky notes laid great groundwork for this project because they are a simple and effective method of assessing the community. When you are asked why you love yourself, what comes to mind? The goal is to love yourself BECAUSE of yourself (personality traits, interests, features, etc) rather than relying on others. The sticky notes prompt you to consider how you see yourself, while the website explains the relationship between self-image and mental health. Personalized advice and ideas on how to change your perception and practice self-love are also included.
How were sticky notes collected?
Over the course of several weeks, 683 people completed the prompt "I love myself because...". In total, 757 responses* were recorded by October 7, 2023, and even more have been received since then. Responses were gathered both in person and online. Physical sticky notes were given to fill out during Love Yourself Org.'s school presentations, restaurant fundraisers, booths at local events, and more. The URL to a digital version of the prompt (linked below) was also posted on social media and received 30 responses in the first 24 hours. The sticky notes were answered by people from all walks of life. All ages, races, genders, and livelihoods were open to participate, and to my knowledge, everyone who was asked provided a response. If you'd like to read more about the data recorded and the analytics of it, click here.
Join the conversation!
Do you want to become a part of the project? The link below is a version of the sticky note prompt that can be filled out and submitted digitally!