Owning every inch.

I personally believe there is nothing more beautiful, more electric, more perfectly human than owning who you are, and doing it unapologetically. It’s like lighting a fire inside yourself that no one can put out. And let’s be real: not everyone loves a bold blaze.

I’m sure there are people who roll their eyes or offer a classic disapproving scoff when I post photos of myself in a bikini, proudly showing off some skin. Maybe they think I’m too much. Maybe they think I’m doing it for attention. But, let me pull back the curtain for you. Let me tell you why I do it.

For years, I hated myself. Like really, deeply hated myself. I looked in the mirror and saw ugly, fat, and unworthy. I spent years abusing my body through bulimia, believing that shrinking myself could somehow make me enough. When that stopped, I piled on weight and carried more self-loathing than I could handle. I detested my smile, my hair, my height, my eyes. Even the sound of my own laughter made me cringe. Stretch marks and saggy skin felt like proof of my failures. I spoke awful, cruel things to myself every single day. My own voice became my worst enemy, and the darkness grew so thick that waking up felt like a chore because pretending to be okay felt impossible.

But here’s the twist: I decided to rewrite my story.

I started whispering words of love to myself, even when I didn’t believe a single one. “You are beautiful. You are strong. You are worthy.” It felt like I was telling lies at first, fake affirmations I couldn’t even say without rolling my eyes. But day by day, those fake words started to sound a little less like lies and a little more like possibilities. Maybe I *was* beautiful. Maybe my body *was* something I could learn to cherish. Maybe I *was* worthy of the same love I gave to others.

Eventually, those possibilities transformed into truths. I learned to believe I was amazing, strong, and perfectly worthy of feeling good in my skin. And as I started to love myself—like, truly, loudly, unapologetically—my body responded. It became healthier. It felt more alive, and so did I.

So yes, I will continue to post those photos when I feel good. I will celebrate myself loudly and with joy because for so many years, I didn’t think I deserved any of it. Now, I know I do. Do I still have moments of struggle? Of course. Sometimes that old voice sneaks back in, whispering doubts and criticisms. But I meet it with truths I’ve learned to embrace: “I am a beautiful, kind, joyful woman of light.”

And just like that, the world shifts.

Owning who I am, unapologetically, is my way of living in that light. It’s joy. It’s healing. And I hope, if you need it, my story can help you feel a spark of your own. #joy ✌️🏝❤️