I went shopping the other day for a new bathing suit that I can use to go swimming in every morning.  I'm a fish; I am truly happy when I am in or on the water.  That is why two of my favourite activities are: rowing and swimming.  I am getting back into my routine of going to the pool early in the morning and swimming laps.

As I was shopping the other day, I realized how much putting on a swimsuit instills insecurity and fear in many people.  You want a suit that shapes your body and makes you look your best.  We are all raised with media telling us how we should look.  In a sense, wearing a swimsuit out in public makes you extremely vulnerable as many people see the shape of your body.   We get self-conscious as sometimes the shape of our body may not fit the "ideal stereotype".  For some this can be terrifying. I remember when I was in my early teens and self-conscious of my new curves; I would wear a t-shirt over my suit when I was at the cottage as I didn't want anyone to look at my body and possibly judge me.  I grew out of that phase and am just wear bathing suits into the pool now.  I realized that people will judge you regardless but you cannot let that control/prevent you from having fun and pursuing the activities you enjoy.

However I still , and I know this happens to many, am slightly insecure sometimes as to how I look in a bathing suit.  A friend and I were talking today about how we always think people are judging us as we walk from the change room to the pool/lake/ocean.  Truth is people are looking at you when you walk around;  however they most likely aren't thinking about all the negative things you think they are when they see you.  In most cases, people may think "wow they look like they are having fun" or are too focused on their own lives to think about how others look.

Therefore, embrace your body and jump in the water !!! You only have one and it's an amazing thing.  Stop caring about what others think of you and go enjoy your life. You can't control what they will say about you but you can control your thoughts and actions.  Life is way too short to be worrying about what others think of you.

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!