Summertime is officially here! In my opinion, it is the best time of the year: no school, lounging by the pool, beach trips, adventures, cold treats, and loads of sun. All of this calls for adorable swimsuits. Time to start preparing for that beach body, right? Not quite.
These days, around this time of year especially, emphasis is put on having the perfect body, fit for the beach and swimsuit-ready; perhaps this includes having a large booty, shredded abs, or golden tan. Everyone enjoys feeling confident and looking good, but it is hard to do so when there are various unattainable standards that people believe they need to meet to live it up this summer. With the image of a “perfect” beach body in people’s minds, putting on a bikini, one-piece swimsuit, swim trunks, or any other swimwear can feel deflating. Undoubtedly, many people will be disappointed when they put on their swimsuits because society’s beach body ideals are not realistic. In response to these feelings, I have found there is an easy two-step solution to get the perfect beach body:
These two steps are fool-proof! Now, you may be rolling your eyes because you were expecting something different. The thing is, while these steps might seem cliché or simple, that is all there is to it. It may seem easy for me to write about this and encourage people to put on a bathing suit and automatically feel great, but that has not always been the case. I have personally gone through days where I did not feel confident in a bikini, and it is not possible to just snap your fingers and all the confidence will wash over you. Instead, it is a process of repeating positive thoughts and eliminating negative ones, while knowing in the back of your head that your body is enough as is. I would recommend starting by getting the image you think of when you read or hear the phrase “perfect beach body” out of your mind. Every body is perfect just the way it is. Every person is built differently, which is special! It took me some time to believe this myself, but, once I did, it felt great! I feel so much more comfortable in my own skin. I am built the way I am supposed to be. So are all of you. We should not try to change that - even if social media, television, magazines, advertisements, and celebrities say otherwise. Next, I propose taking a long look at yourself in the mirror. Maybe you do not like the way your tummy rolls when you slouch, or maybe you do not like your broad shoulders, but that is the way you were built! We should work to celebrate instead of hate the things that make our bodies our own. Also, instead of concentrating on what you do not like, focus on what you do like. Your strong legs? The way your nose freckles in the sun? Your bright eyes? Lastly, wear what you feel confident in! Strut your stuff! If you are feeling great, who cares what you wear? Try the high-waisted bikini bottoms, try the strappy one piece, the water shorts, the t-shirt. Wear whatever you want this summer! Love it and rock it! Now, this might sound very motherly or cheesy, but please let me have this moment. Here at Real and Relatable, I will be your hype girl whenever you need it, so...you are incredible just the way you are! Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. It may take some time, but, once you get the right mindset, the clothes to make you feel confident, and a positive attitude, you will get that beach body! After all, what is a beach body anyway? Take your body, put it in a swimsuit, and head to the beach. There you go! You are all set!
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6/8/2021 4 Comments The Value of Taking a BreakIn today’s world, people typically go, go, go. I am one of those people. I often feel like I have so many things to do and not enough hours in the day to do them all. After a while, this can be mentally and physically draining. In fact, I am feeling some of that drain right now, and I am looking forward to the summer to have more down time. For right now, I want to discuss breaks and the value there is in taking one.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I took a break from posting Real and Relatable content for about one month. While I very much enjoy posting, I came to realize that I needed to take a break because I was feeling overwhelmed with studying for my AP exams and my commitments to my youth group. It was difficult deciding to do this, but I ultimately decided that it was worth the short term sacrifice for the long term gain. What I mean by that is that I had to take a brief break from one of my commitments, knowing that I would be able to quickly return to what I enjoy doing, so I could focus on timely tasks I knew I would be glad I invested a lot of energy in and what would benefit me in the long run. Now, I am back to posting and it feels so good. Mental health and stress are things that are not always prioritized in society, but I encourage you to honor the signals your body is trying to tell you and take a break when you need it. This break can be from a wide variety of things - such as a friend group, a school club, a sports team, a social media account - whatever applies to you. These breaks might be needed if your friend group is not providing you with a happy environment at the moment, if you have a lot of school and family commitments, or if social media is wasting your time in a toxic manner, to name some examples. It can be difficult putting certain aspects of your life to the side, but I can guarantee it will be worth it. Taking a break could even give you a new burst of energy to tackle the thing from which you are taking a break once you return to it or to appreciate things in a new way. Plus, it has been proven that breaks relieve stress, increase productivity, and allow oneself to recuperate. Now, what should this break you may need to take look like? This may not be the answer that you are looking for: whatever you want and need! For me, my break from posting blog content consisted of putting my phone on do not disturb and fully committing to studying (not much of a break, I know, but it is what I knew I needed for myself). For another type of break I need in the future, it might consist of shutting off my computer and phone and enjoying a day in nature with my family. For someone else, it might consist of taking a month’s break from a club to focus on grades. For another person, a break could be deleting Snapchat for a month. Overall, breaks look different for different people, but they generally serve the same purpose. I encourage you to get in tune with your mental and physical health. Ask yourself this: Do I need a break? If so, honor it! You deserve it, and there is great value in giving yourself time off. |
AuthorLover of adventures, traveling, family time, fashion, soccer, writing, and more, Madeleine is giving you all the real and relatable content you have been looking for. Archives
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