I’m the first person to talk about the importance of self-love, and truly loving yourself from the inside out. It’s not the easiest task to accomplish 7 days per week, or even 5. With the media, the models, that one friend you might have that will always be able to eat pounds of McDonald’s and never gain weight…the struggle is real. That being said, for the teens out there reading this: you are enough. Remember that you’re still young, with years of growth (physically and mentally) to come, so don’t beat yourself up about your body.

My guest blogger, Ashley, is here to talk about why loving yourself, whether you’re a mother or not, is crucial in giving your kids the right tools they need to accept their bodies, too.

Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be posting pictures of myself in swimwear, on the internet, especially after having a baby. When we started getting ready for our recent beach trip, the all too familiar feeling started to creep in. That feeling where you could almost throw up just thinking about trying swimsuits on… the WORST feeling in the world!

Historically, nothing is fun about trying on swimsuits. The lighting in the dressing room is terrible, and if you’re anything like me, you try on about 30 and there might be one that kind of works. I can remember feeling sick to my stomach as a kid, teenager, and post grad every time I was forced to try on swimsuits.

This time around, I made a decision. I decided that I’m not going to be that person anymore: the one who scowls and gets nauseous at the sight of herself in the mirror. Sure, before I had my daughter I was 30 pounds smaller, working out daily, and eating super clean. And yeah, I still haven’t adjusted to getting that lifestyle back after having a baby (and she’s 1.5 now).

But you know what? Who. Freaking. Cares.

I spent my whole life being self conscious in a swimsuit. I skipped my friends’ pool parties because of it. I spent my summers hoping no one would invite me to their pool. I stayed anxious throughout my entire beach trips growing up. How ridiculous is that?  

I am determined to not let this be my daughter. And in order to teach her self confidence, I need to be confident within myself.

So when we went to the beach, it was tempting to stay covered up the whole time as I chased her endlessly. It would have been easy to worry that people were watching my thick thighs running up and down the beach.

But… I didn’t. For the first time in my life, I didn’t care who was watching. I was there for one reason, and one reason only: to have fun with my kid at the beach. And we had a damn good time.

I think we, as women, put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect and do it all. Often times, I have to take a step back and look at what is really important.

I am sharing this for everyone out there who may be feeling insecure. It doesn’t matter how small or big you are, or whether or not you’re a Mom… it’s something we ALL FEEL. Insecurity is normal, but it isn’t healthy if you don’t take care of it. It festers into an unnecessary vessel of anxiety, stress, and depression. I can only hope that by reading this you will find comfort in knowing that you aren’t alone, and you can find freedom in loving yourself.

Loving yourself is hard. It’s a struggle I have every day. But by embodying that sort of love, I hope I can teach my daughter to love herself as well.