Summer vacation came just about as fast as it is about to be gone. One more week, and then it’s back to school (at least for my kids).
With the rapid start of summer break, there wasn’t much time to get “pool ready.” You know what I mean. Toned up and fit, that nice golden base tan, freshly pedicured feet… Ha! You laugh, but you know that’s what you secretly wish for. Yeah, I used to wish that too. And then I got over it.
All those things I mentioned above, they’re just surface things. They’re the things we strive for (the things we think we want) because that’s what we see in the magazines, in movies and on TV, on social media. But really, none of that stuff matters.
Sure there’s the Mom who looks amazing in everything, is always super in shape, probably was a super model… and more power to her (like really, you go girl!). But let’s take a look at the majority of us Moms. Most of us (myself included) we’re not that.
Yes, we are all beautiful (inside and out), we all have gifts, we all have flaws – flaws that make us even more beautiful in our perfect imperfections. All of that makes us who we are. None of that should keep us from doing what we want, enjoying life, and by no means, stop us from going to the pool!
You have hips, shake them.
You have curves, embrace them.
You have gray hairs, cellulite, varicose veins… love all of it.
You are a woman.
You are a Mom.
Put on your swimsuit. Put on that two piece bikini. Put on your self-confidence and strut your stuff mama! You are beautiful, just the way you are.
So, you want to know how my first day at the pool went this summer? I threw on the bikini that was stuffed in the bottom of the drawer. The old sporty one that covered a bit more than the ones I have to build up my confidence to wear when my summer tan boosts my feeling of “damn I look good.” And trust me, it’s taken me a loooong time to come to that point of loving my body.
I’ll spare you the details of my drive, but literally as I opened the car door and stepped one foot out, snap. Yep, the clasp on the back just broke in two. You can imagine the thoughts in my head: From “Oh my gosh I’m too fat to wear this bathing suit, I broke it” to “thank goodness it didn’t happen once I was already in the pool” and every thought in between.
A round trip home and back to the pool, and this time with the bathing suit generally saved for end of summer – or at least when I’m going somewhere where nobody knows me… because if they don’t know me, they can’t talk about me or judge me or… Yeah, that’s a whole other blog post!
So, take two, I’m at the pool, in a little bit more revealing bikini. White skin, chipped toenail polish, stubbly legs (did I mention I didn’t shave?), and a bunch of other Moms I know. What would they say???
There I was, not feeling super about myself, and not wanting to deny myself an afternoon at the pool either. You know what happened? Nothing. Absolutely nothing! Except a wonderful day. I survived, I enjoyed myself. And if I don’t say so myself, I looked damn good in that bikini! *wink*
Wishing you the same feeling of “I look damn good” in your body!
Here’s to the BEST version of YOU!
Pamela Zimmer
Author, Speaker, Mentor