Maybe it was the calming effect of the beach or maybe it was the rum punch, but I did something I have never done: posted a pic of myself in a bikini on social media. As I’ve mentioned before, my love affair with Domino’s Pizza has been a big cause behind my “Entrepreneurial 15” and has made loving and accepting my size an interesting journey to say the least.
So posting this photo was my personal way of honoring, accepting and loving who I am right now, thicker thighs and all.  Sharing my barest self felt freeing, and I hope in some small way it gave other women permission to share their own moments of joy on a beach, regardless of their swimsuit size.
When I returned, I went on a date and I mentioned this empowering picture posting experience. The guy of course asked to see said photo. And I gotta be honest, I was nervous and honestly scared to show him. Isn’t it weird how easy it can be to do something in front of an internet-full of strangers but you can’t do in front of one person? His nonchalant words confirmed my nerves: “I imagined worse.” Ouch! Not exactly the words a woman wants to hear, especially not in a “romantic setting.”
While his choice of words say a whole lot about him (and why I’m no longer seeing him), after some reflecting I thank him for a good reminder. If you’re anything like me, seeing a body in the mirror that’s different than the one you used to have or the one you’ve always wanted is emotionally taxing.Oftentimes the things we don’t like about ourselves are the only things we see and are able to focus on. But here’s the thing, have we been imagining worse than what’s really there? By focusing so much on how our measurements don’t measure up to the standards set by us (or someone else), are we missing the beauty and joy of actually BEING in these bodies?Are we foreboding the joy of laughing on the beach and sharing our memories because our thighs are “too big”? Or are some of us lamenting a tummy that just had a baby instead of honoring a beautiful, life giving and life changing experience?Now that we’ve celebrated the independence of this country, let’s work on freeing ourselves from the warped and destructive ideas we have about our bodies and our image. We are all blessed in so many ways. Each of our bodies have beautiful stories of trials and triumphs to share, so let’s celebrate that this summer and maybe even try out out two of my fave new bikinis to strut that confidence. I want to hear your body aha’s so please email back, share with a friend, and connect with me on InstaGram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Yours in Style, Shopping & Soul,
Morgan | 
