Beach Body
Preparing for swim suit season
March 20th marked the start of Spring.
It's the time when people make their final push to get ready for swimsuit season. I love the beach. It's my calming space throughout the year. But when spring and summer come around, I put on my bathing suit so I can get in the water and body surf or boogie board a bit.
Yet for most of my life, I’ve been super concerned with what I look like, especially in a swimsuit. When I was a teenager I was concerned with how flat I was. As a young adult in conservative fundamental circles, I was worried about how much skin I was revealing, and if it was "leading folks astray." As the numbers on the scale and in my clothes continued to go up, I found myself obsessing over my rolls, curves, and stretch marks. Feeling anything but beautiful, prompting me to pull an oversized t-shirt over my swimsuit.
Obviously, I’ve had some internal narratives on repeat making it difficult for me to love my body in various seasons of my life. It’s taken me years to realize that the way to achieve the perfect beach body doesn’t begin with focusing on the numbers. Rather it begins in my heart and mind–where we can cultivate what Sonya Renee Taylor calls a radical self-love. In preparation for swimsuit season I wanted to share a bit of my journey to loving my body and provide you with tips on your journey so you stay swimsuit ready all year long!
I’ve written a poem to kick it off. You can check that out: HERE