Remember when you were younger and all you had to worry about during Summer was to wear sunscreen and come home by dinner time? I remember when I was younger I would like to play mermaids or submarine in the pool. I could spend hours swimming with my friends and family without a care in the world. So…what changed?
Somewhere down the line something changed inside of me that made me self-conscious about the way I looked in a bathing suit. I was always scared to wear a two-piece bathing suit because I never liked the way my stomach looked. I was not naturally skinny like the tween models in Limited 2 magazine or as pretty as Hannah Montana on Disney Channel. Now at 23 years old, I became afraid of what other people thought of me in a swim suit because…I’m not perfect.
You know what I’ve noticed in the past few years? NO ONE IS PERFECT!!!! I had a moment where I finally opened my eyes and told myself that I am b-e-a-u-ti-ful just the way I am.
Now, you are probably thinking to yourself I wish I could not care about what other people think or I wish I could love myself the way you do. Stop with all this I wish nonsense because I am here to say that you CAN love your body and feel comfortable in your skin TODAY!
Open Your Eyes
What would happen if I told you that the media that you are being exposed to is not real? FAKE NEWS! But seriously, the magazines and social media that you consume everyday is heavily edited to only show you “perfect.” 
The images that we see in magazines are unobtainable. Surprisingly, I found this out in college when I was taking a Women’s Study course and it BLEW MY MIND! I wish my teenage self would have realized this sooner and stopped idolizing the girls in the magazines because they had a “perfect body” and I didn’t.
DRESS THE PART
Something that really helped me gain confidence with my body is dressing the part. Let me explain. If you don’t feel comfortable in the clothes you are wearing then WHY ARE YOU WEARING THEM? Last year, I decided to throw out all the “trendy” suits that society told me to wear and replaced them with suits that made ME feel my best! I still was not feeling comfortable wearing two-piece suits yet but not to worry! I bought myself a cute beach cover up to wear.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
A lot of people ask me how I have the confidence to wear swimsuits when I have scars, bumps, and imperfections on my body. I always tell them that I take it one step at a time. REALITY CHECK, there is no confidence button that you can push to instantly give you body confidence (but if you know of a button like that please let me know…)
I started by wearing my new beach coverup if I felt insecure about my scars or bumps around other people. Then, I wore board shorts for a little while and gradually I stopped wearing them. Now, two years into this process, I don’t think about what over people think about my imperfections. I just relax and enjoy the sun!
POSITIVE SELF-TALK
You’re not pretty enough.
You look horrible in that swimsuit.
Everyone is looking at you.
These are the negative thoughts that we tell ourselves when we wear a swimsuit. It’s so easy for me to say “Don’t listen to them! You are beautiful!” but you and I both know that is not as simple as that. It takes time to change these negative comments that we tell ourselves but the more we do it the easier it will become. You have to start by becoming aware of the thoughts that you are telling yourself. Every time you start thinking something negative, stop what you are doing and try to change it into something more tasteful.
Example: Everyone is looking at you. Try to turn it into: No one is looking at me. They are all as self-conscious as I am and they are minding their own business!
The more we are mindful about the thoughts in our head and change them to positive thoughts, the easier it will become. I always like the quote “Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t tell your best friend.
Stay Healthy
If you don’t like the way your body looks, if you don’t like the way you feel right now, or if you don’t like these negative thoughts that you are having, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! You are stronger than you think you are and you can accomplish any goal that comes your way. If you don’t feel healthy then try to practice a more healthy lifestyle. Exercise and remember to eat the right amount of healthy food each day. Try to get enough sleep and practice self-care on a daily basis. Also, if you feel like you are struggling please seek professional help from a doctor, therapist, or psychologist that can help you move in the right direction.
How do you stay confident in the summer? I would love to know down below in the comments because what helps you could help someone else 🙂
