I've never had a body that any magazine or swimwear ad has ever told me looks good in a bathing suit - and for years, that kept me from wearing one. I remember being about 13 and going to a family pool party with my swimsuit on underneath a big, baggy t-shirt that I insisted on wearing in the pool and tugging down to cover my butt when I got out. There's a picture of me that day, in the pool, waving at the camera with a big dorky smile on my face, and I know that I was having fun. But I also know that I was always aware of my body. And, I mean, at 13... Of course you're aware of your body. Things are changing and sprouting and everything is a little bit freakin' weird, so it's no wonder we all walk around with a hyper-awareness of our bodies. But at the same time, I think that's one of the biggest formative times when we start to look at our bodies in a negative way - and to start making some of our decisions based on how we look.

This summer, at 33 years old and with a lot of years spent avoiding wearing a swimsuit at all or quickly hurrying myself into oversized t-shirts or shorts as soon as I got out of the water, I'm saying screw it and I'm deciding to not just accept my body, but make sure that I stop letting it be the reason that I don't do things that I want to do. And I'm not going to read articles about how to get a bikini body, because I already know the steps. Have a body, put a bikini on it, and throw your middle finger up to anyone who tell you that you shouldn't wear something because you're not perfect.

It's on that note that I wanted to write a little something... and issue a bit of a dare. Both to my readers and myself.