It's brisk in Atlanta today; the kind of weather that shocks your skin as you emerge from your cozy house. How can it be so cold when it's so sunny? It's the kind of weather that makes you want to light a candle and drink coffee all day. So, I thought, if I was drinking coffee all day today - a little date with you fair readers - here's what I'd tell you:

I'm struggling to write a body image post this week. Simply because, I feel overwhelmed by the amount of pressure women seem to feel - the amount we idolize and idealize specific bodies and frames. Sometimes I have so much to say and share, but, on other days, I just want to listen. 

Lately, I've noticed how much women apologize for the way they look - for not wearing makeup, having dirty hair,  looking "rough" or not being in as good of shape in the winter. I wonder when we decided we had to apologize for this? When did it become a burden to others when we don't look perfect?

A few times now, people have told me that the best way to grow your Instagram following is to use only one filter, so your profile looks more like a magazine than social media. The more I've thought about this, the more I've wondered if we apologize for not looking perfect because we've been trained to constantly present a perfect image online. Are we sorry when we don't look filtered in real life, like our profiles?

Our wedding is four months from today, which feels insanely soon and also like it can't get here fast enough. I'm trying hard to find the balance between wanting to up my skincare routine, highlight my hair and look my very best vs. wanting to change the way I look. It is a constant balance - a constant back and forth. But, in a lot of ways, isn't life, in general, a constant balancing act? 

I'm off to the beach this weekend for my bachelorette party. I'm thrilled to spend the weekend with friends and overwhelmed by their love and willingness to travel for it. Chris will be on here tomorrow with a post about none other than BODY IMAGE :) 

Until then, stay warm!

PS: For any girl who has a period, doesn't have a period or has taken the pill, The Lively Show #85 is worth a listen. It's slow to start but worth getting through if you're interested in how food is medicine.