Screen shot 2014-03-18 at 11.16.54 PMDear Lauren,

Summer is coming soon and I am afraid! I know that soon I will have to put on a bathing suit and I’m worried that my pale skin and flabby body are going to scare everyone off of the beach.

Sincerely,
Scared of Summer

Dear Scared,
Stop right there, because everything you said is just wrong. It is a perfectly fine concern for you to have, however you need to try to get out of that mindset ASAP.
First off, I’m sure you have seen all of the posts online that say “How to Get a Bikini Body”. If you haven’t, it goes a little like this:
1. Have a body.
2. Put a bikini on your body.
3. Now you have a bikini body.
As simple as that all sounds, I do understand that it isn’t that simple.
And honestly, you would never catch me in a bikini, because I am not all that confident in my own body.
However, you will see me on the beach in a different kind of bathing suit, because it’s hot, I want to have fun, too, and who really cares what other people think?
I know that not everyone has even this level of self-esteem, and it can be hard to get there. I promise you though, reader, you can get there.
Whether you are too thin, average, or overweight, you should never dread the summer, because you feel that your body is not good enough.
Bodies are bodies and if someone is going to take the time out of their fun beach going experience to poke fun at you, then they are a real loser.
“Scared of Summer”, I know that bathing suits can be a scary thing, but you shouldn’t worry what others think of you.
Get ready for the sun! And remember to listen to Lauren!

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