Let’s try showing a little skin ☀️

Apply sunblock as needed 😉

Hello! This week we’re talking about bathing suits.

In my eating disorder I spent a lot of time imagining that a “perfect” body existed and thinking about what other people thought about my body. In recovery, I try to focus on the real, living bodies around me, which are full of diversity, and let thoughts about other people’s opinions about my body pass me by like clouds in the sky. 

To read what I wrote about this last week, go here.

Sometimes getting into a bathing suit takes time and practice. Covering up and hiding our bodies, like any behavior driven by fear and anxiety, can be overcome using exposure therapy in which we take strategic, intentional steps toward the things that make us uncomfortable. This week, consider whether there are things you could do that make you a little uncomfortable as you gradually step into the practice of wearing a bathing suit in public. 

Of course, nobody is obligated to wear a bathing suit, so if you want to leave this alone, consider whether there are other pieces of clothing or scary things you’d like to try stepping into in a measured, safe way. Whatever you decide to do, please be kind to yourself and give yourself tons of self compassion. I’ll be thinking of you!

If you’re a paid subscriber, I’ve got a printable worksheet for you that will help.