So, Do it For You.

15-year-old Tara would have rather stared back at Bloody Mary in the flesh than see herself in a bikini when she glanced in the mirror. Now, today I may be 17, but I still have that insecure little girl in me. Who we were, will always be a part of who we are. Who are we to disappoint those youthful versions of ourselves, to not do better for them, to let ourselves rot in the same thoughts that they did?

I went to the beach yesterday. I put on a near-microscopic bikini, as a teenage girl does, and despite all the love and help that has consumed me for the past two years, I still found myself beyond insecure taking off my cover-up. The same insecure feeling that has haunted me for years, as it does thousands and thousands of other girls. Younger me would have hidden her body in a towel or failed to even have taken the cover-up off in the first place. So yesterday, I took that cover-up off for that insecure young girl who didn't have the confidence to. The world didn't stop spinning, no one froze and pointed, or made a comment…because who really cares? Pop your ish girl. I ate fries, and ice cream, and laughed, not once thinking about what I was wearing for the rest of the day. 

On the way home we saw countless fireworks going off. Now realistically, yes it is the Fourth of July weekend, but sitting there with my best friends, I just thought of younger Tara celebrating. Celebrating the healing I had partaken in, celebrating how good life can be. Let’s do more of that! More of doing the “scary things'' that hold us back. More of just doing better for ourselves of today, ourselves of last year, and so on. You deserve that, younger you deserves that. Remember, struggles may be inevitable, but struggling in silence is not. 

XOXO- Tara🤍