A Wanna-be Nudist

So you have found your way to this post, there is a good chance you are a friend on insta... which means we know each other in some way... which might mean you have either already seen me naked OR this is totally weird but curiosity got the best of you... HAHA!

I want to share a little story with you, some background information... a peek into my past.

Growing up, I was raised with a certain outlook on sexuality, femininity, and nudity. To sum it up, Modesty was key, ladies don't do this (Insert sexist tradition here), and sexuality? Sexuality was either met with "we will talk about it when you are older" or "Save yourself for your husband". The point is, there was a lot of guilt and shame surrounding said topics.

As I am reaching my 25th year of life, I look back on how I have grown and evolved since my catholic upbringing. I am in a non-monogamous relationship. I have been able to come to terms with my pansexuality... but when it comes to modesty or nudity, that has been a tricky one for me. I'll be honest, my concerns are centered around my children. How do I teach them that the human body is not solely meant to be sexualized? How do I teach them that specific body parts aren't the forbidden fruit while respecting their age and maturity? How do I teach them about sex positivity, consent, and boundaries appropriately?

The issue I have come to realize is not so much figuring out the exact "how-to" method, but accepting that I myself still struggle with sexualizing myself, and therefore I am the one that needs to unlearn a few things.

Look at this photo.

I posted this a few days ago and I couldn't help but worry I was being "too sexy" with my low cut tank revealing my upper chest and cleavage. This is not the type of thing that triggers negative feelings when I see other women post such content, in fact, I am inspired by this type of content from others. However, posting a picture like this IS something that makes me stop and ask myself... "does this make me uncomfortable because I do not like showing this much skin? Or does it make me uncomfortable because I am concerned with what others may think?" The truth is... I don't feel overly exposed or vulnerable... I feel pretty good actually. I feel good that I enjoy seeing myself. This feeling, this acceptance... it's a fucking achievement.

In my first year in Japan, I went to bathe in an onsen. This was the very first time I had ever been fully nude in front of anyone other than my husband, but by the end of this experience, my perception of nudity changed. We were naked with other people, but we were also outdoors in the mountains. We were bathing in the healing waters heated by natural springs, immersing ourselves in a culture where this practice of bathing in the onsen was truly a relaxing and even spiritual experience. Everyone was nude, regardless of their gender, age, or body type.

So to revisit my questions from earlier... how do I educate my children about how awesome our bodies are? How do I teach them to respect others without this negative tone surrounding sexuality?

By example. I have to lead by example.

Welcome to Living My Life, Blissfully Nude, a section of my site dedicated to sharing my journey to embracing my nudity through a naturistic lifestyle.

Thanks so much for reading this. It means a lot to me that you would take the time to learn a bit about this project.

XO Becca