Be kinder about your body: it's summer again

Usually, the transition between seasons is a bit friendlier, but this year nature decided it would be summer in one day. My thick sweater was still in the laundry basket and meanwhile, I was putting on my cut-off jeans for the first time. I notice that I have to get used to my bare arms and legs again and that I want to approach it differently than usual.

Normally, I suddenly become way too aware of rolls, sturdy thighs, or a pleasantly swaying upper arm. I go into a critical mode, where I can be quite unfriendly about my own body. The bizarre thing is that if someone else were to say it to me, I would explain to them that they can keep that opinion where the sun doesn't shine. With two years of hernia complaints, my body isn't as fit as I would like, and I see that. This summer, I'm not going to zoom in on what I don't like, but own my body. I started looking for ways to make this easier.

1. A tip from Countess Eloise, and I know it helps: unfollow people on social media who make you feel insecure. It doesn't help you to keep scrolling through pictures that do nothing for you. Instead, follow women with whom you can identify.

2. Stand in front of the mirror naked without judging yourself. Don't look at parts you're less happy with, but look at yourself without criticism. Do this for at least a minute every day. It helps.

3. Thank people who say something nice to you instead of immediately dismissing a compliment. Nice hair? Thanks. You look great? Merci. You have great legs? Thanks. I received a compliment about my waist this week, and while I was trying to twist this in my head into something unkind, I thought: whoa, stop. By the way, don't forget to give them either; nothing is as wasteful as an unused compliment.

4. Occasionally think about what your body does for you. It makes you laugh, it protects you from the cold, it sits with you and your friends on a terrace all afternoon, it allows you to do things you enjoy. It's easy to be negative, but also give it the credits for what is fun.

5. Take care of your body. Take a bath (if you have one), scrub your legs with something fragrant, slather yourself from head to toe with body lotion, and just be really nice to yourself. That's the beginning of building a healthy relationship.

Every body is beautiful and every body is a bikini body. With hair or stubble, without hair or stubble, with cellulite or without cellulite, with pounds or without pounds. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.