As I sit here eating my fried mozzarella sticks, I think to myself, “Jessica, summer is right around the corner. What are you doing?” I then tell myself “Yes, I’m aware. But, I don’t care.” I don’t care if I have a summer body or should I say “summer body.” No, I’m not giving up on my fitness journey. I’m just merely accepting the fact that good things take time – especially the “perfect summer body.”

Every day, I stress about my flaws on my body. I hate seeing the bra fat stick out, the pooch at the bottom of my tummy and don’t get me started on the cellulite. I could go on for hours about how much I don’t like my body, but what good is that going to do? Even though I don’t think I’ll ever be 100% happy with my the way my body looks, I’ve come to learn that I am sexy and beautiful with all of those things.

My flaws don’t decide how I get to feel about myself or how comfortable I get to feel in a bathing suit this summer and neither do yours.

Instead of stressing every year if you’re going to be summer ready by May, just know that you already are. You are beautiful. It doesn’t matter if you’re a size 0 and uncomfortable in a swimsuit or a size 18 and uncomfortable in a swimsuit, any body is a beach body.

After years of stressing about the way I look and about what I eat, I’ve come to accept that I have curves, and those curves look just as good in a swimsuit as the skinny girl does who eats as many Oreos as I do. You don’t need to have a six pack to have a summer body. You don’t need to have toned thighs to have a summer body, and YOU definitely don’t need anyone else’s opinion on the way you look to make you feel like you have a summer body.

Own that you already do.

Who decided that a six pack and toned thighs defines a summer body? Do they have a six pack and toned thighs? I don’t think so. (But if they do, good for you, you inspire me.)

As the great Hannah Montana once said, “Nobody’s perfect.”

It’s true, nobody is perfect. So why do we bash ourselves and others for not being perfect?

If you’ve got some extra you to share, flaunt it in a bikini. If you’re on this skinner side and feel like you won’t fill out that bikini, just right wear it anyway.

Everyone is beautiful in a swimsuit.

I’ve learned that we are our worst critics and the only way we’ll ever feel more comfortable with ourselves is if we start loving ourselves for what we are and what we look like. Confidence is sexy. Strut your confidence as you rock that two-piece this summer, honey.