Disclaimer: the cover photo has only women pictured, but men also deal with impossible beauty standards. This open letter is for everyone who deals with body insecurities when it come to swimsuit season.

Dear person who hates their "swimsuit body,"

Ah, summer. Time for the beach, hiking, swimming, kayaking and being in a swimsuit. It's also the time where your Facebook timeline is filled with beach pictures of your friends with society approved "perfect" bodies in their swimsuits. You'll also see memes and "funny" Facebook statuses about "not being summer ready" or jokes about working out so much to get a "summer body" in the week before your summer vacation. To say that this society puts pressure on us to have perfect, summer bodies is an understatement.

I remember that dreaded walk. The walk from the bathroom, after just changing into my swimsuit to my table at the pool. I would strategically place my pool bag in front of my stomach, and hold my towel near my chest, as if to hide the fact my boobs were non-existent. That short walk seemed like a minefield- I would carefully make that 10 foot trek, trying to go unnoticed, dodging onlookers eyes as if they were laser beams about to cut through me. Every glance made my way I could feel. I felt as if everybody had a list of all my body flaws and just knew where to look.

Society has decided a certain beauty standard, and if you don't fit into that almost impossible standard, you are made to feel like you are not good enough. Here's a little secret for you: you are! I know, I know, I sound like your mom right now, but it's true. Society is going to tell you to wear certain swimsuits if you don't fit the beauty standard. Here's another secret, companies profit off our insecurities, so if society tells us we're not going to look good in a certain swimsuit, you know companies are going to have plenty of options to fit "your body type," or products that will make you "look better" in a swimsuit. A lot of companies don't care about your mental state or your self esteem; they care about making money. The thing is, body types are made up by society! Just go into that store, find a swimsuit that makes you happy and wear it. For me, that swimsuit is a blue one piece because I never have to readjust it when I'm swimming or playing at the beach. For my friend it's a strapy black swimsuit that looks amazing in pictures. Whatever swim suit makes you feel good, wear it.

Gaining body confidence is a struggle. It's not as easy as being like "OK I like myself and the body I was born with now." In this society there is so much judgement when you don't have the ideal body and so much pressure to get it. Body confidence is reminding yourself everyday that you are amazing the way you are, that your body is beautiful and also that you will not be defined by your body type. To gain body confidence, I've learned that it's best to ignore it. Now stay with me, I'm not suggesting that you ignore your problems but I am suggesting that you ignore that insecure voice in your head telling you there is something wrong with your body. Put on that swimsuit, and go out there and just have fun! I've noticed that when I just swim or kayak or play on the beach and just focus on having fun, I don't even think about how my body looks.

So next time you're scrolling through Facebook and see these harmful memes and statuses, keep scrolling. Or if you're at the beach, and you're surrounded by people with amazing swimsuit bodies, stop comparing yourself, keep your head up high and know that you look amazing. It's important, especially in this pressuring society, to uplift everyone. So when you see your friend post a photo of themselves in a swimsuit, whether they have a society approved "perfect" body or not, give it a like or an encouraging comment! Everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their skin. Posting a swimsuit picture takes a lot of courage, no matter what anyone looks like, so be supportive! Remember though, no matter what "society" says, you are a solid 10, you are stunning, your body is a piece of art and should be treated as such and YOU LOOK AMAZING IN THAT SWIMSUIT!