NSV - Confidence at the beach

Last spring, I did something I hadn't done in 9 years: I bought a two piece swimsuit. A bikini to be exact. Not a tankini. Not one with boy shorts. Just one with normal briefs and a halter top.

Then, I did something else I hadn't done in 9 years: I went to the pool at my apartment and laid out without wearing a cover-up.

And that was 30-some pounds ago.

Did I feel completely comfortable? No. Did I think some of the other girls looked better than me? Absolutely. But, I still felt great about myself and enjoyed the sun.

So...this summer came along, and I decided to up the ante a bit and bought a different swimsuit. A triangle top and string brief.

And then I walked down to the beach and laid out. For some reason, the beach has always intimidated me...probably because it is basically a breeding ground for good-looking boys playing football in the water. Who, for whatever reason, I'd always guessed would be mean douches to me (my self-confidence was awesome) because I'm shy and not a size-0 with long blond hair.

And you know what happened? I talked to people. Even a couple of guys who tried to get me to come into the water with them (no way, the lake is gross). No one was mean. Everyone was just there doing what I was - enjoying the sun, meeting people, and hanging out.

I loved it. I loved it so much, I went again. And again today. And I'll probably go every day I can if the weather is nice. I'm a late-life sun baby and it wouldn't have happened without my new-found confidence from my weight loss. But not just from my weight loss, also from the fact that I know I'm a pretty awesome person and I finally let it show on the outside.

From the fact that I love myself.

I don't know how to take a good pic of all of me at

the beach yet. But soon, maybe :D

I hope for you all to have fun, loving and self-confident summers!