One Small Step For Nudism, One Giant leap For Self-esteem

Today, I finally decided to get over my consternation for the opinions of strangers with better physique "in my ironic opinion" of my own body. Confused yet? Me too. Self acceptance. Scratch that... The acceptance of one's body and it's image as portrayed through the very eyes beholden. For a long time, like many others, I held great contempt for my figure, moobs, hips too wide, jiggly thighs, penis too small, flat butt, my head was even too small for my body. To be uncomfortable all the time? Hoping no one notices me! Wishing someone would show a sign that they were attracted to me. Contempt. It takes work and effort. I don't know if it really should. I also know that lots of people will say "be a man". I am a man. Because I Have testosterone coursing through my brain, a penis and testicles between my legs, these things are testament to that argument. This whole self esteem thing goes deep! Way past the petty ignorance of strangers. Figuring it out took so many years. And like any addict, I do still relapse from time to time. Falling back into the desire to be something else. But victim mentality doesn't get you anywhere other then the bottom of a pit of self loathing. For some reason it took work for that to not be my comfort zone? It actually took me deciding to let myself be naked around others. When I was growing up, elementary school, junior high and even high school it was taboo to get naked around your peers, no one showered in gym class. I remember one moment in my elementary school locker room, one of the other boys yanked his pants down and his underwear came with it. Everyone saw him fully exposed and one of the other boys made a joke. I remember thinking how embarrassed he must have been! Everyone saw his junk. It was almost a rush to see another kid naked at that age. My God this is what I have been basing social norms on? The judgment of an 8 year old... We are all 8 year Olds. The sexualization of our natural form. I understand the need for social boundaries. I do believe modesty is a healthy way to live, however I think maybe we got lost along the way? Everyone has a body. No one is different in that. We all have skin, and a brain and chemicals "most of which we have next to no control over" coursing through our brains. We all have genitals. We all have thoughts and eyes and beliefs and desires. Every single one of us is slightly different and yet completely the same at the core. Unless you spend your entire life alone in the woods "in which case you aren't reading this" you will at some point in your life have sex "hopefully with a consenting adult human". If this is all common knowledge. Why the heck are people so quick to judge a person for being naked? And why are so many people uncomfortable accepting the size and colour and shapes of our body and it's many parts? The path to redemption comes from within. Facing my 8 year old self I decided it was time to make some changes. As adults we're obligated to do this on a daily basis. How hard can it be? Step one? Figure out your problem. Step two? Figure out the root cause. Step three? Decide on the resolution. Step four? Take action! So I decided the easiest thing to do would be go to the local pool and get used to walking from my locker to the shower without trunks or a towel and eventually without consternation. Most people didn't even notice me. Okay this was pretty easy. Where did this fear come from again? Oh yeah the judgment of a peer! But all my peers are adults now! A bunch of 8 year old adults. My biggest problem going to the pool now is remembering to put on my swimming trunks before I leave the locker room. Today, I finally decided to get over my consternation. This is my first time posting naked photos of myself on a community website for everyone to see. All of my adult 8 year old peers.