In Canada where the winters are cold and we love it we still need a Mid Winter Summer Vacation

Hello Mid Winter Vacation,

Fed up with winter yet?  Ready to take a Mid Winter Summer Vacation down south in the warmth and sun and wondering if you are brave enough to buy and wear a bikini?  Well this post is for you.  Here is my personal story on my own adventures with a bikini.  Read to the end as I created a special message just for you.

As a Canadian who loves winter – snow shoeing, skating, making rinks, hockey and snow angels, it might surprise you that I want to get away for a mid winter “lets pretend it is summer for week” vacation in the Dominican Republic.  And you know what that means……

Yikes —–it’s time for bathing suits in public!

So this year I went totally bold – I bought a bikini.  Yup a bikini.  My mid-section has not seen the light of day for many years (OK it did at Riverbend when it was just the Hubby and me and it was a suit that was too big and would fall off with each jump, so not at all appropriate for public attire).  Here is the thing about a bikini and why I wore one last summer in private – you dry off quicker – no wet mid section that takes a long time to dry and gives you chills while you wait for it dry.  A bikini allows you jump in and out of the water and quickly want to go back in again as it dries off and lets you enjoy the heat and refreshing qualities of water.

Here is a secret – Bikinis are scary.

At least for me and most women my age – ok most women. Period.  We all feel that we must have a perfect body to wear a bikini and that is a scary thought.

Be brave and wear a bikini

But when I saw this pretty blue and brightly coloured bikini at Winners, I knew I had to try it on.  And bang – it came home with me.  I was like a nervous young girl trying that bikini on every two days before my trip.  Would I have the courage to bring it with me?  Would I actually wear it?  And what if I gained a few pounds – would I still wear it?  And how could I cover it if my bikini wearing fears took over once I went down to the pool or beach in it?  So much to think about for such a small piece of clothing.  So I did what most ladies do – I removed the tags and the protective liner in the bottoms so now the bikini was mine to keep as I couldn’t return it.

Our vacation was right after Christmas and New Years so it meant that for the 8 days before our trip I was very focused on getting lots of green juice and veggies in to ensure my bikini would have less body in it.  And I resolved that I would wear it at the beginning of my trip and have other cute tankinis and sarongs for the rest of the trip.  This bikini was getting her time in the sun along with my mid-section.

Protect your skin with a hat and cover-up.  As I suffer from heat exhaustion and have a family history of skin cancer, I protect myself from the sun’s harmful rays but also allow myself to get the valuable Vitamin D from the sun.

So I bravely went down to the pool in my new bikini and got lots of “way to go girl” from my besties (hugs to you both).  Girl friends are so wonderful.   Then we went to the beach where it seemed like bikinis were everywhere on every body type.  Small, tall, thin and large – and everyone owned it.

At one point a comment was made on a very large lady in a bikini and we thought how much confidence she must have to wear it.  It was like she was totally comfortable in her skin.  And I thought, we should all be more comfy in our own skin.  We are our own worst judge of how we look.  Why can’t we all wear a bikini and enjoy the lack of fabric over our bellies and dry off quicker.  It is not like guys who don’t have a perfect body wear a t-shirt or tankini so why should we ladies.

So if you are planning a trip down south to “create summer for a week” why not go and try on a few bikinis and bring one along for the trip.  You will look beautiful and you will be scared.  And you will be just like every other women on the beach who sees her imperfections before she sees how lovely she is.

Here are some words to try on “I am beautiful”.

Go ahead and say it to yourself “I am beautiful” because you ARE!

Now get out there and bravely bare that bikini because you ARE beautiful.

Leave me a comment below if this post has changed your views on owning and wearing a bikini.  Would you wear one now or are you in the never camp. I would love to hear from you.

To courage and bikinis,

Jo-Ann Blondin,

Your 9 Cup Challenge partner and Wellness Cheerleader.