Hello. Have we met? My name is Susan. I am a mother of two, a wife, an entrepreneur, a feminist, a sexual assault survivor, a podcaster, blogger, and author. Ask about me.

In addition to being all of those things I just listed, I am also… seriously pissed off. Why? Because if I see one more dumb-ass magazine article that says “Women over 40 shouldn’t wear shorts” or “Who’s got the best post-baby beach body? Find out on page 27!” or some other idiotic shit like that… I’m going to go ballistic.

I’m tired of seeing magazines pit women against each other as if we’re competitors in the bikini body Hunger Games.

I’m tired of seeing Internet trolls post horrendous comments about women’s stomachs and thighs, shaming women for simply existing.

I’m tired of getting hate mail in my Facebook DMs every time I post a vacation photo where I’m wearing a bikini, as if wearing a bikini is a crime that condemns me to Hell.

I’m tired of living in a world where billions of women feel ashamed and tormented about their bodies… where women cover themselves up, duck away from photos, avoid cameras and public appearances, avoid college reunions, holiday parties, and cancel dates because they don’t think they look OK… where 97% of women intensely dislike their bodies… and where all of this is considered “normal” rather than unacceptable.

Ladies, it’s time to reclaim our bodies, reclaim our confidence, and reclaim our power. It’s take to take it all back.

Here are 5 ways to do that…

1. Wear exactly what you want to wear.

Fuck the magazines. You go ahead and wear that mini skirt, those shorts, that crop top, or pantsuit, whatever you want, at any age, and every size. Dress to impress… yourself.

2. Order the food you actually want to eat.

If your body is craving a cheeseburger, get that. If your body is craving a salad, get that. Instead of frantically scanning the menu, mentally tabulating the carbs and calories of every item, and wondering what’s “OK” to have, just order whatever you actually want. Enjoy it. Savor it. Stop eating when you’re satisfied but not stuffed. Bring fun and pleasure back into mealtime and just… eat.

3. Compliment women for something *other* than their bodies.

It’s so tempting to say, “You look AMAZING!” and yes, that’s a lovely thing to say. But let’s not forget that we are so much more than our bodies.

Tell your BFF, “You are a genius.” Tell your daughter, “I love the way you treat people. You’re so compassionate.” Tell your female coworkers, “You are so witty. You need to start a podcast!” and “You should patent that idea and get on Shark Tank ASAP.”

4. Stop supporting cruel websites.

There are hundreds of popular websites, blogs, magazines, and tabloids that churn out articles like “The 7-day fat blaster program you need” and “Best and worst beach bodies.” You know the ones. Stop visiting these sites. Don’t support them because you’re funneling money towards them (mostly from advertising revenue) when you do. Also, let’s be honest… you don’t need that toxicity coming into your brain.

This goes for cruel, body-shaming conversations, too. If your girlfriends are saying snarky shit about someone (“OMG, she looks awful these days…”) don’t participate. Change the topic of conversation. Or change your circle of friends.

5. Stop dieting, detoxing, and cleansing.

The billion-dollar diet industry would love to keep you as a customer for life. They want you to lose, regain, lose, regain, yo-yo up and down, and continue buying the next trendy program because it makes them rich. They want you to feel dissatisfied with your body forever. Stop dieting. Reject this bullshit. Reject the mentality of “Once I lose weight, then I will be happier.” Decide, “I am allowed to be happy right now.” This is a radical act.

Ladies: these are just five suggestions. There are hundreds of different ways you can take back your body and take back your power. Whatever makes you feel strong, healthy, energized, confident, powerful, and proud to be a woman… do that.

Together, side by side, let’s build a world where loving, celebrating, and enjoying your body is the norm, not the exception.

I wish we already lived in that world.

I wish we’d built that world a thousand years ago.

But today is a great day for the revolution to begin.

PS. If you are so ready to take back your power, you’ll want to check out this free class I’m hosting on November 1 called “POWER UP.” It’s all about enjoying our food, enjoying our bodies, living a big, full, beautiful life, and spending our time where it really counts. If that sounds like your kind of jam sign up right here.