I Wore Green Togs

Summer’s come early here in Brisbane.  Beach waves. Afternoon storms.  Hot sand. Big sunglasses. Even bigger hats. Ice cold water. Salads and sorbets. Bare feet. Cute dresses. Flowers in my hair. BBQs in the park. Pool days. Movie nights. All the good things to look forward to in the upcoming months.

I found these cute one piece togs are in Luang Prabang in Laos; of all the unlikely places to find swimwear!  After walking around the quaint town, I stumbled across a shop with the adorable emerald green swimsuit.  They are different than any togs I’ve seen here in Australia.

Making the most of the glorious weather, as a family we visited the beach one day during the holidays. I wore my green togs. And you know what? I didn’t really think about it.  What I mean is I didn’t stress about hiding myself under a towel, neither did I feel the pressure to be some sort of ‘yummy mummy’ (whatever that is). I didn’t really think about it but got out there and enjoyed the swim with my kids.

You see, I’ve worked on my health and fitness — slowly and surely — particularly during the last couple of years; (I went back and reread this post I wrote 3 years ago: feeling fat and ugly).  However, my goal isn’t to look amazing but to be the best I can be. Almost the same, I guess, but the foundation focus is different.  There’s a lot of noise about appearance…blah, blah, blah.  I just don’t buy it even though the message is sold everywhere, EVERYWHERE I TURN.  Oh sure, I want flattering clothes, I love pretty stuff, dressing up and the like, plus I enjoy the fact that my wardrobe fits comfortably again and that my legs are more toned.  But I have a slightly shifted focus: it’s not about appearance but embracing this life I am blessed with.

When I pondered about that day at the beach, I realised being self-disciplined about health paid off in the best way possible. Not because I hit the beach feeling like I was rocking my togs…but because I went to the beach without my usual binds — neither bonds of insecurity or pressure to attain to a societal ideal held me back.  There was a freedom for me to just be, and I celebrate that!  Work hard.  Shine without fear. And cute green togs are a bonus.