Remember that dream where everybody’s laughing at you, so you look down only to find that you're buck naked?
Panic.
Trauma.
You wake up in a pool of sweat.
Now what if you had the choice to make that dream your lifestyle? However -- plot twist -- instead of being a nightmare, this lifestyle of being unclothed brought you freedom and bliss?
Here are seven reasons to get up and leave the constricted life of clothing in exchange for a simpler, more freeing life of nudity. That’s right: A nudist colony has many advantages, including the following:
1. No more tan lines.
Many individuals suffer from the farmer’s tan, the shorts tan, and even the strangely sought-for Chacos tan. The second you develop these tan lines, they are there for virtually the entirety of swimsuit season. At a nudist colony, avoid these nuisances altogether, and get some color on your cheeks while you’re at it.
2. No more deceit.
I’m not going to point fingers or call names, but let’s just say a nudist colony is great because it lets the public be the judge as to what constitutes eight inches. At a nudist colony, everything is out in the open. And you know what they say -- honesty is always the best policy.
3. It's an environmentally conscious decision.
Our clothes are killing the planet. Studies show that from the materials we use, to the processes that our clothes go through to get to the end product, toxins are constantly being released into the environment. Further, globalization, consumerism and "fast fashion" mean we're throwing out clothes before they’ve been used to their full extent. By joining a nudist colony, you’re inherently joining the cause to save beautiful Mother Earth.
4. You'll likely live somewhere tropical.
Speaking of beautiful nature ... no clothes means no protection from the cold.* Therefore, nudist colonies require a consistently warm climate. Vamonos a la playa!
5. You'll make yourself vulnerable... and reap the benefits.
It’s true -- making yourself vulnerable has many advantages. Two of these advantages include having an advanced ability to appreciate your own quirks and being better at empathizing with others. Living at a nudist colony will make you more content with your body, more relatable to others, and more organically human in general.
6. You'll save money.
In the United States, we spend a lot of money on clothes. It has been concluded that the average family spends thousands of dollars per year on clothing. That number only goes up with increases in income. Plus, you don’t just buy clothes. You buy detergent, dry-cleaning services, tailoring services and more. When you aren’t spending that money on clothing, you can spend it on other things that make you happy. Or, here’s an idea: Work less and relax more.
7. Freedom
Lastly, a nudist colony grants the naturalist freedom. It’s the freedom you get when you’re sitting at home without any pants on, but instead of just an afternoon routine, it’s every hour of every day. It’s the freedom you get when you climb to the top of your favorite mountain and feel the wind blowing on all of your cheeks. It’s the freedom you get from not being held down by countless material goods. It’s the freedom you get from realizing you have nothing at all to hide. I kind of think this is what our founding fathers had in mind when they promised Americans the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
So what are you waiting for? Book your plane tickets, purge your closet, and pack your toothbrush and sunscreen. The naked life awaits.
* It’s actually a myth that nudist colonies never wear clothing (see number six on this article). But don’t let that deter you from finding a colony somewhere sunny and 75 degrees.
Side note: There are many compelling reasons to living a life in the nude. However, if this lifestyle is a little too extreme for you, or just not practical right now, you can still learn some lessons from these benefits. For one thing, consider where you buy your clothes and think about the ecological effects of throwing out a perfectly good shirt (or 20), only to buy more clothes. As another lesson, make yourself vulnerable. You’ll connect to the humans around you on a much more personal and purposeful level. You don’t have to take off your clothes to be vulnerable, either. Open up emotionally, and you’ll reap the same benefits. On another note, if joining a nudist colony full time is just too much of a commitment, check out these must-see nudist resorts.
