Although we are in the middle of the summer and I am just bringing this up, the topic was recently brought to my attention and I wish I made an article on it sooner. I visited the beach with friends not too long ago. My mind was focused on having a good time and relaxing the entire day on the sand and in the water. We arrived at the beach and set up. After taking off our cover-ups for our bathing suits and getting ready to go into the water, I noticed something.

My friends continued on to go into the water but I stopped to observe a girl, next to our towels, who looked petrified. She was fully clothed, but one hand slightly held up the shirt she looked scared to take off. The girl kept looking around to see if anyone noticed her and as soon as her eyes met mine she decided to keep the shirt on and miss out on the cool water that hot day. I felt terrible that my gaze prevented her from enjoying the beach like everyone else. And her situation reminded me deeply of my own once upon a time ago.

I used to be that girl terrified of showing her 'thunder thighs' at the beach. While my own friends would strip down to their bathing suits and run ahead to the water, I stayed behind to make sure no one was watching me walk into the water.

It was an insecurity that ran deep and peaked during the summer time. The prime time for less clothing and to show off one's 'beach body'. I used to be jealous and confused at those that could walk around in bathing suits so confidently and so freely during this time of the year. But the only difference between them and I was their self-confidence level. They were not necessarily more 'attractive' or looked better than me, because who was to determine that? In my past eyes, society determined I was uglier than them. Because I did not have size 0 legs and they were not blemish-free, my legs were an embarrassment to parade around the beach in bikini bottoms.

One day I sat down with myself and thought: why do we have to apologize for not looking like models?

Why do I have to look like the next girl I see on my Instagram timeline with the smooth killer legs and small waist?

Why can't I just be happy with the body I have?

We only get one body in this lifetime, and we should be happy with this body. Society should not determine how the only body we get should look, and if it does not have a small waist, big boobs, and toned legs ratio then we should be unhappy with this body and hide this body. That should not be the case at all. With a size extra large, size extra small, acne, dark spots, rash, whatever the case may be, you are still beautiful how you are made. There is the only one you and you should treat yourself like royalty.

I'm not saying this article is going to give you the confidence to go to the next beach and walk around nude, but hopefully, it's a start to building body positivity especially in times where it seems everyone is confident with their body. It's a hard journey, I know, I have been on that road and I'm still battling it. Although I can walk on a beach today with no issues, my self-confidence didn't rise overnight. It took a lot of reassurance, correcting my mentality, and flat out being uncomfortable before I finally gained some comfort. Overall, I am learning to love my body and myself better today than I have yesterday.