Happily Nude: Overcoming My Fear

A Blog Post by Dwight M.

If you had told me 10 years ago that one of my projects would be to run the social media for a nudist website, I’d have laughed in your face. I was the furthest thing from a nudist.

However, over time I became curious.

You see, I work for a digital marketing agency. We were hired by Katie to help run the eCommerce and social media aspect of HauloverBeach.org. I was never a nudist. Ever.

When I was assigned to handle Haulover Beach’s social media, I started doing my research. I talked to some of the folks on the team here who ARE nudists, and got some insight. I thought, “you know what? Being nude at home seems pretty cool. Maybe I’ll give it a shot.” So I did.

I loved it.

I learned nudist etiquette basics, like the fact that you ALWAYS put a towel down wherever you sit. So, I started carrying a towel with me around the house, until my beach towel became a fixture on my office chair. Before I knew it, I was a home nudist.

Gradually Increasing My Boundaries

After working at home in the nude, I thought, “you know, this might be fun to do outside.” So, sure enough… I did just that. I positioned my chair away from my neighbor’s house so that I wouldn’t be purposely exposing myself to them… and then I laid my towel down and set a timer.

“I’ll try this for 5 minutes.” After the timer went off, I stayed outside because I loved it.

“You know, doing this at the beach might be possible,” I thought afterwards. But, it was an idea that made me pretty nervous.

I kept testing my boundaries in the privacy of my own home. I started spending more and more time inside my home nude. I also learned the necessity of keeping a pair of shorts handy in the event of a surprise FedEx or UPS delivery! Before I knew it, being nude became a new normal for me.

Being Nude Increased My Self-Esteem

I’ve always had issues with my self-esteem and perceptions on body image. Yes, even as a man. As a young boy, I had people make fun of me for being a little overweight. I had family members who made negative comments to me. Those comments stuck with me, and affected how I looked at my own body. It made it difficult, especially when being in intimate settings… It was not fun due to my lack of self-esteem.

As a man, I was nervous about my penis. “I don’t have a small penis, but it’s pretty average. Will people laugh at me if I get out of cold water and it shrinks?” Or the recurring question Katie tells me that she gets asked by email almost daily, “What happens if I get an erection?”

All those fears were just nonsense that kept me from trying something that deep down, I knew I wanted to explore. Men, everyone gets “shrinkage,” and no, nobody’s really paying attention. In fact, I found that people spent more time concerned with themselves… They have no time to be watching to see what you’re doing.

If you get an erection, guess what? You roll over on your stomach and allow it to subside. I took my then-girlfriend to Haulover Beach with me, and I found it funny that I didn’t get an erection when she took off her top. It was because a slight breeze brushed over me in just the right way. I put a shirt in my lap for a couple of minutes, and was good to go after that. There’s no need to over-think it, guys.

Fast forward to today. Roughly five years after I started this journey into nude recreation, I’m now confident as ever! In fact, I can’t strip off my clothes fast enough when I show up to the beach. My self-esteem has skyrocketed. I love myself, love my body, and appreciate how I look – even if I may not fit what society deems as a “perfect” body.

What Are You Waiting For?

If you’re reading this, you’re probably curious about nude recreation. What’s holding you back? Is it fear? Is it what others may say? What others may think? There are a handful of people in my life who know I enjoy nude recreation. It’s my personal, private activity. I don’t need to broadcast it on social media. So, regardless of what’s holding you back, I want you to challenge those fears.

I encourage you to start small, just like I did. Start at home. Try it out. Then, head out to your patio or backyard and try being nude outside. Find a Korean spa in your area, and see what it’s like in a nude, same-gender, non-sexual setting. When you’re ready, just go take the plunge! I’m almost certain that others will be trying out Haulover Beach for the first time whenever you decide to go, especially if you go in the summer months.

Whatever you do, have fun because life is short. You don’t want to reach the twilight years of your life wondering, “what if…” about anything you could have done.

Try it, then let us know when you do it! I can’t wait to hear about your first time.