Summer is here, and it is in full swing! People are going to the beach, taking vacations to their favorite places, and enjoying time lounging by various swimming pools. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and everyone is gearing up to have a wonderful summer.

However, thanks to the super fads of the year, many of us begin to obsess about having the perfect beach body and the diets or exercise plans we need to make happen. We at Pata Pata Jewelry are here to tell you that those things do not matter! As members of our tribe, we want you to love yourselves just as WE love you: completely, unconditionally, and wholeheartedly, EXACTLY as you are!

We understand that that may not be as easy as we make it sound. It is so easy to get caught up in the images of this season’s hottest celebrities, society’s ideals of what makes a “beautiful” person, or the newest fad diets and workouts. But none of those things are necessary! And we are here to help you see that you are just as beautiful as everyone else, and that you don’t need a perfect ANYTHING to be viewed as such!

Don’t understand what we mean? Keep reading, and we’ll tell you exactly what we are thinking! We have a few ways to help you feel beautiful in your own skin besides giving in to all those exercise regimens and ridiculous diets that only make you feel worse than when you started.

Makeovers

Yes, we know that you have likely heard this a thousand times. But this is a beautifying technique that bears repeating! So many people underestimate the power of a simple makeover. Yes, we just said . Makeovers do not have to mean spending a ton of money, despite what the newest fashion magazines and blog posts might have you believe. A makeover, as we have mentioned in previous posts, can be something as simple as a small change in or mixing up the wardrobe you have.

OR, for a fresh idea, try getting together with a few friends and swapping clothes. If you have friends who wear sizes similar to yours, have a “clothing swap” party. Get together at someone’s house, bring some clothes you are willing to loan to your friends, and… well, swap! This can be a great start towards a makeover! The same can ! So long as no one has pink eye, you should have no problem swapping out makeup palettes. Also, you can ask your friend about makeup tips that they find useful. Plus, you could do test makeovers on each other! You save money, and you get invaluable time with your !

Find Your Birthday Suit!

Have you found it yet? Of course, you have! We mean your literal, actual birthday suit! No, we are not being dirty, we promise! What we mean is, if you are comfortable with yourself in the nude, then you will always be comfortable with yourself clothed!

Spend a few minutes every day looking at yourself nude in the mirror. We know, it may feel really weird at first (we have a member of our staff working on this as we speak, and she can attest to that)! However, there is nothing more empowering than being able to say that you are comfortable in your own skin (again, we mean literally!). Take some time to appreciate the way you look. Find the things you like about yourself (and remember that we are talking about what YOU like, not what OTHERS like). It may take some time, but before long, your eyes will move directly to your favorite parts of you, and before much longer, you will find reasons why you love EVERY part of you. And THAT is the only thing that matters!

NEVER Talk Bad About Your Body!

Your body can hear you! Whenever you are talking bad about yourself, your body is present for the whole ordeal! And, believe it or not, that can have an effect on a much larger scale on how your body changes, or how you perceive those changes.

Think about the way we talk about other people (which we should never do behind their backs, BTW): the more we talk, the more we can begin to alter the way we see or think about those people. That’s how it works with the way we talk about ourselves. We begin to see ourselves in the exact same way that we portray ourselves to one another. This can be harmful (i.e., telling our BFF’s that we are fat and gross), OR (and this is what Pata Pata WANTS you to remember) it can be the best thing we ever did for ourselves! No, we are not telling you that you should start telling yourself things that you do not believe to be true. That can actually be worse for you than listening to people who speak negatively about you. Instead, remember the things you liked about your body while doing your “birthday suit time,” and build from there. Take a moment to recall things that your friends have said they like about your body. And do not write them off or believe them to be false compliments! Your closest friends would never tell you lies about your greatest assets, and they might even help you improve on those. So, put your trust in them, and let them help you remember just how beautiful you are!

Remember to love yourself and all that you do. Don’t let anyone take away your sunshine. You are the only one of you (which is why we celebrate uniqueness here at Pata Pata!), so never try to be someone or something that you aren’t!

Shout-Out

Tell us about something you are doing this summer to build your confidence and love the body with which you were born! We love hearing the inspirational stories from our tribe members!