Facing Summer Swimsuit Anxiety
Focus on the purpose of your body
The message that we are constantly bombarded with is that the purpose of your body is the been seen and approved of by other, mostly specifically straight men. This message is a power-robbing lie. It’s important that you see this lie for what it is because this awareness is the first step to fully absorbing the truth of your bodies purpose.
The purpose of your body is to aide you in having experiences. Sometimes those experiences are challenging and sometimes they are a dream. Your body is for you and no one else. Yes, you can use your body to serve and help others, but that is your choice and to be done at your control.
This summer, be sure to prioritize taking time to use your body to experience the warmth of the sun on your skin, the chill of a cold treat on a hot afternoon, the beauty of a still summer night, and joy of a Saturday with your best friends.
Pick a suit that is physically comfortable
Comfort is queen. If you can, find a suit that is actually comfortable. When a suit is too tight at your shoulders, always needing a butt adjustment, or not supporting you like you would like it’s going to be both a distraction and a potential trigger. Simply put, the goal is to simply be thinking about you body and appearance less. When you’re physically comfortable in your swimsuit, free of pulling and pinching, you can focus and stay present in the purpose of your activity.
Need some comfortable swim suggestions? Check out these brands.
Aim to stay present in the purpose
Going into an activity or period in which you’ll be wearing a swimsuit its helpful to set healthy intentions for the purpose of the event. Are you going to the beach to be something for other people to look at or is the goal to have fun with you friends, relax, and create memories? When you feel off-track body thoughts creeping in, see them for the distractions that they are and then refocus on your initial intentions.
If you have a history of focusing on your own appearance or the stress of getting a good IG post, be patient with yourself. The pressure of the first few swimsuit outings of the year can often be the trickiest. Be patient with yourself. This mental exercise is a life long endeavor. It’s natural to be a little rusty when kicking off the season.
Cleanse your feed
In today’s world the last thing any of us need are more reminders to think about our physical appearance. The truth is, there will always be social media posts that activate unhelpful body thoughts. While you can’t control what other people post, you can have some level control over what you see and interact with.
Over the next couple of weeks leading up to summer and through out the season, try to look at your social media feed and the accounts you follow with a protective eye. Be the protective big sister or best friend we all deserve. Regardless of specifics of what a certain account posts, if it activates unhelpful body thoughts unfollow or mute their posts and stories. You’re not passing any judgement on the people behind the accounts, you’re just taking care of your mental health and that’s something everyone should respect.
No matter what they share, nothing is more valuable than your own mental health. Of course and unfortunately it’s not possible to remove all triggers, but by taking control of the those that you can lighten your brain’s workload. The good news is that when you free your brain up you enable more opportunities for more important thoughts, ideas, and growth.
If you need a few ideas for fun summer activities check out this post.
If you would like to learn more about this topic and all things body health you will never in a million years regret reading this book.