Everything under the sun

I have a month almost exactly before I board a flight to Jamaica. I set the goal to lose 20lbs before takeoff like a week and a half ago. I have no clue how much weight I've lost because I don't own a scale nor do I desire to...but I bought a pair of jeans a size down from what I normally need. Typically, I am an 18 (in jeans)...but Old Navy recently did some funky stuff with sizing so I was actually a 20 in their jeans and in skinny jeans even that was pushing it. However I comfortably slid into an 18 on Saturday. I decided that was worth it. That and zipping up a size 16 dress. Plus all the water I've been drinking has curbed my appetite TREMENDOUSLY. If I only had to offer two pieces of advice I'd say drink more water and keep filling snacks! I've leaned on pretzel thins, fruits, almonds and the like for my between meal snack attacks.

All that to say...I'm heading to an island that celebrates curves and I can't wait. I read an old Fluvia Lacerda article where she talked about having 2 drawers worth of bikinis and her adamant refusal to be obsessed with what other people thought of her body. She was going to "let it all hang out under the sun without the hang-ups." I loved that so much I made her picture my ipad desktop. Not because of her body...but because of her love of her body. Its not "not giving a Eff" its quite the opposite. Its loyalty and care to self.

I went without makeup last weekend. Something I never, no really...never do. And I had that same feeling Fulvia described; freedom, love, and sunshine. I just wanted to feel the sun on my bare skin. That was my only thought. And I didn't want to not be able to touch my face for fear of messing it up. I just wanted to be.

I guess I say all that to say, when I head down to Jamrock I want to leave insecurity stateside. If it feels like a day for bareskin I don't want to think twice about the decision. I refuse to obsess about bathing suits or outfits or anything of the sort. And if you know me, you know that is not me, at all. But I just want to live. Live in the moment and soak it all in as best I can. I just want to feel all I can feel without the barriers or veils of fantasy between us.