I am aware of my smile. When my body is happy, she shares it will the world with the biggest of smiles.  It shows all my teeth and my gums. When my picture is being taken, I would tell my body to tone it down. I thought my smile was too much and others would think it looked funny. I don’t quite know why that habit formed but I want to unlearn it. I want her, my body,  to feel free to smile in the way that feel most natural and honest.

This week, I almost asked my partner if she thought my smile looked funny. I am so addicted to the  approval of others that I thought for a brief moment that I needed it so that I could love myself. To help me in my recovering from needing the approval of others, I asked her yesterday to refuse to answer questions like that.

Who cares if there are people out there who think that my smile is too much. When it is there, I am truly and unapologetically happy. And the only one she needs approval from is me.

Please enjoy this selfie of me and my body’s beautiful smile as I enjoyed an evening this past winter with my partner.