So I’ve taken up the Lingerie Goddess’s 30 day lingerie diet by Margaret Shrum. It is basically a month long excercise to inspire and develop your sensuality as a woman. My love for lingerie is the reason I joined this diet on a quest to learn more and feed my obsession.

Initially I thought that this would be a program on how and where to purchase lingerie. It is that but a whole lot more. It’s an indepth look at the relationship you should have as a woman with yourself and how that relationship will lead you to picking the right type of lingerie. Each day the lingerie goddess sends different tasks for you to complete. Day 9’s task- Own Your Unique Beauty stuck out to me. It’s about worshipping your outer goddess.

This got me wondering about the relationships women have with their bodies. I can’t speak for the opposite sex but it seems as if we wear our body insecurities like a badge. Always making mention of the countless things you wish were different and then you’d have the perfect body.  As different as we are as women, body insecurities is something we all seem to have in common. Recently I made an observation whilst I was in the ladies changeroom at the gym.

I got to gym 4 times a week at 6am and I have been for the last 4 years or so. We (the ladies at my gym) all seem to be there for the same thing. A better looking and healthier body, but that all changes when we walk into the change room. I noticed that most of the ladies manage to get undressed, showered and changed whilst never glancing at mirror up until they are dressed.

Step one in day 9’s task is to write a list of your favourite things about your body. This seems like a simple enough excercise. Then my mind wonders back into the change rooms with the ladies from gym and how they don’t look at themselves naked in the mirror ever. I don’t mean the odd glance to check for the itch on your back but to geniunely look at themselves. Why is the mirror such a scary object but it can also be your friend.

I look better naked! That used to be my motto for years and even when I was at my fattest I told myself this all the time. How many of us can say this sincerely and honestly about our bodies. It’s far too easy to pick out and say negative things about this vessel called our body.  I feel that as women we need to learn to be nicer to ourselves and our bodies. We put the body through so much and still expect it to carry us from pillar to post.

So whether you’re rocking those sassy jeans, figure hugging dress or sultry lingerie underneath it all you rocking an even better accessory. Love the skin your in. Stand before the mirror naked and look at yourself honestly. Be sincere and write your body that much deserved love letter. The challenge is out there and let’s start the conversation.

Writer: Nhlanhla Msimango