As the spring semester comes to a close and we are gearing up for finals, everyone is looking ahead at the light at the end of the tunnel: SUMMER. With this long-awaited season comes internships,vacations, beach trips and new bikinis. But what if you haven’t lost that extra weight that comes with winter hibernation? Read on to find out how to get that perfect bikini body.
1. Put a bikini on your body
Who says you’ve got to have the “perfect bikini body” this summer? Your body is perfect just as it is, and you should love and embrace that! Our media has made girls all over the country feel insecure and ashamed about their own bodies, and body image issues plague women all over the world. According to DoSomething.org, approximately 91% of women are unhappy with their bodies and 58% of college-age women feel pressured to feel a certain weight. That’s almost all of your friends, classmates and co-workers. As young women are ready to shape the world, we should be feeling confident, sexy and beautiful in the bodies we have been given, no matter the shape or size. Body confidence sets you up to feel more confident walking through life in general, and we ALL could use a little more of that.
Stop focusing on all the flaws you might see in your body and focus on all the wonderful things your body CAN do- dance your heart out, jump for joy, enjoy a long walk and so much more! Revel in how powerful your body is, embrace all that it can do. We need to set the example of loving our bodies for our younger sisters, friends and daughters. I certainly do not want to pass down the feeling of unworthiness or body shame to my future daughters, and I plan to work hard to make sure that they feel comfortable and confident in their own skin.
If you don’t know how to start with feeling a little more confident in your own skin, remember that this is the only body you will have. You only live once and you only have one body to live in, so we should treat with with kindness, respect and love. You wouldn’t tell your best friend that she’s fat, or ugly or worthless, so why would you say and believe that about yourself? Speak affirmations and affection towards yourself and your body until you actually start to believe them. Stand in the mirror naked and point out all the wonderful things that your body has to offer. Feel a sense of gratitude for your legs that are powerful enough to run to class when you are late for the fifth time this semester, or your strong arms carrying your clothes to the laundry room.
So put your body in a bikini and own it. This summer is the summer to love, accept and care for the body you are in. No comparison, no body bashing and only doing what makes you feel good.