Stop Putting Your Life on Hold Until you Feel you Look “Good Enough”

My younger self would have turned down this incredible trip pictured above because of how I felt about my body. I know that might sound crazy, but it was once my reality.

3 years ago, I backed out of my friend group's senior year spring break trip to the Bahamas. I told my friends that I had a last-minute horse show in Miami that I had to be at and, therefore, could no longer go to Baha. Since I am a competitive horseback rider and spent a great deal of time of my winters competing in palm beach, they had no reason to question this.

The truth is, there was no horse show. I had gained a little bit of weight and felt painfully insecure about how I looked. The thought of being in a bathing suit standing next to all my beautiful friends was terrifying. I just could not find the courage, let alone an ounce of self-confidence, to go with them. So I backed out.

I was so embarrassed by how I felt that I couldn’t even tell my closest friends the truth. Most of them still don’t know the truth. I never told anyone. And if you told me back then that I would be admitting this publicly on the internet, I would have thought you were insane.

Fast forward to my spring break this year… I freaking went for it. I joined 10+ girls, half of who I’ve never met IRL before, on a trip to Europe, and I seriously had the most incredible time. I’m so grateful that I’m in a place of my life where I can stop putting my life on hold despite how I feel about my body. It’s truly liberating, and the memories are SO GOD DAMN WORTH IT.

If there’s anything you take from this, please know that you are so much more than your body. It’s time to stop putting your life on hold until you feel like you look “good enough.” Push through the discomfort…it’s so worth it. You got this.