body positive

My mantra this year is to Be Brave. So here I am, being brave and posting swimsuit photos, something I never thought I'd do. Part of being brave for me means embracing this beautiful and flawed body of mine. I've also found that when I'm more open with my readers about my own insecurities, they feel more connected and I do too. Being curvier and not having the perfect body doesn't mean you can't still look super cute in a suit. For all the other curvy girls out there, I wanted to share some of best one piece swimsuits for curvy girls. Over the last year or so, I've thought a lot about body image and how my blog has influenced it - both good and bad. Mostly, my blog has made me hyper-critical to my perceived flaws, while at the same time outsiders continually offer positive reinforcement. It is a weird dynamic. I'm more self-critical, while I receive more external compliments. Like a lot of women I know, I'm horrible at taking a compliment. I brush them off. I don't believe they are genuine, probably because I am so hyper-critical. Even after doing the shoot, I wasn't sure I had the courage to actually post these photos. I spent way too much time analyzing all of the photos. Even though I want to be 100% confident in a swimsuit, in my body, I'm not. Despite my insecurities, I do know that when I share my flaws, when I share the real, people can relate. And isn't that the whole point of this blogging thing? I actually owe other bloggers and two of my closest friends for helping me have the courage to even do a shoot in a swimsuit. Two particular friends of mine have been very influential in helping me improve my body image. Completely unsolicited, they both tell me my body is beautiful even when I don't believe them. I talked about it in another body positive story - that it's fascinating to me how others can view me one way and I can't see myself like that at all. For the longest time, I hated my broad hips, my large thighs, my big booty. But then I heard positive affirmations - I had people who actually wished they had my shape and outwardly appreciated my curves - and that blew my mind. When the people you love and respect the most see you in such a positive way, it's nearly impossible not to start internalizing that too. That's why it's so important to surround yourself with people who lift you up. I also have to shout out to GabiFresh and SassyRedLipstick for being positive role models for us curvy girls. It takes a lot to put yourself out there like they do. I've been following both for several years, and I'm always blown away, not only by their beauty, but mostly by their confidence. The combination of seeing positive role models, like Gabi and Sarah, and hearing positive affirmations from my friends, without coaxing, helped me to garner the courage to finally put myself out there, in a real way. Size and perceived perfection or flaws should not dictate my sense of self or my confidence. Beauty has no size. Not to mention, this is all external anyway. Confidence and self-love start from within. It is not about my size, it is not about whether or not I have cellulite or stretch marks, it is about knowing I am beautiful because I am a good person, who is trying to be her best self - inside and out. So here I am - my body is far from perfect. My body has carried me through a lot. I'm working on loving it for what it does for me rather than for how it looks. This year, my goal is better health, to take care of my body as best as I can, and to love myself for where I'm at. I'm also learning to dress in a way that shows off my best attributes. Sure, I might have wide hips and big thighs. I also have a true hourglass shape, so I'm going to show that off. As for finding the best one piece swimsuits, well, I started with one of my role models. GabiFresh has a line with Swimsuits for All and I'm obsessed! This one piece is perfect for me for a few reasons. First, the suit has high-cut legs. I know this might seem counter-intuitive if you're curvy. In the past, I would try to cover myself up more - I'd wear boy shorts, for example. But shorts actually cut off the leg line, whereas high-cut legs actually make you look taller, thinner, leaner. The open sides on the suit actually extend the leg line further. In some of these photos, I look so tall and lean. I'm 5'9", but I felt this suit even made me look taller and slimmer. I also love this suit because it has a deep v-neck, which is also elongating. Probably my favorite part of this suit is the unique back details. I love the back because it adds so much visual interest. The suit is also perfect for us mamas on the go because it holds everything into place. The strappy back actually adds a ton of support. It also has moulded breast cups, so I never had to worry about slippage or showing too much. Finally, the shimmery silver/grey material is ultra stretchy, but it's also super slimming. I noticed it really held me in while also creating smooth lines. If you're looking for some of the best one piece swimsuits for spring break, here are some of my very favorites.

body positive

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