“Confidence is sexy,” “The best thing a woman can wear is confidence,” “There’s nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.”

But what if confidence is just, you know…. Not in your wardrobe? You never managed to pick that one up while perusing your local Forever 21 as a 13-year-old trying to find out where you fit in in the world. (BTW. You know what didn’t help? Velour tracksuits — like who looks good in a velour tracksuit?) 

Anyway, I was about as modest as they come — and it stuck with me. At 25 years old I realized that what I thought was a good thing — “I’m a good girl. People know I’m not like that” — was actually a not-so-good thing. I didn’t feel sexy. In fact, I didn’t even know how to begin to feel sexy. I remember signing up for a burlesque class with one of my friends. Two seconds into “now slowly snake your way to the pole” and I was cringing inside. I never went back and Dita Von Tash retired her crown in less than an hour.

So I realized that I needed to improve my confidence and make myself feel sexy. “But how?” you assk. Well, I’m about to uncover my super simple trick. Yep, when I tell you you’ll be saying, “I nude it!”

Figured it out yet? It’s super simple — I started getting ready in the morning naked. Yep, BUTT. ASS. NEKKED. “But Tasha!” You’re saying, “Isn’t it cold?!” Why yes, yes it is. But luckily my ‘70s apartment has a heater in the bathroom instead of a fan, and the dancing I do tends to keep me warm.

I found that the real problem wasn’t that I was uncomfortable with other people seeing my body. But that I was uncomfortable seeing my body. So instead of my normal routine: Get up, eat breakfast, change out of pajamas, take a shower, change into work clothes, get ready. I switched it up, and put clothing as the last thing on my to-do list.

And at first, it felt awk as hell. My room is full of mirrors, and there I was.. Just jiggling around my room every morning as I did my makeup and hair. And also WHAT IF THERE IS A FIRE?! Will I just run out naked?! I learned to put those fears aside and realize that if there is a fire, I will be worried about a lot more than the neighborhood seeing my ass. Also, hot firefighters.

A few weeks of feeling weird went by, and then all of a sudden, something in me changed. I started to notice muscles I hadn’t seen before because I’d always covered up with clothes. I started appreciating the little bit of extra fat on my hips that gave me some curves. I became comfortable with myself and I got to know my body better. And then, I actually started liking getting ready naked. And finally — I started feeling sexy. I would wake up and think damn, I look good. Someone is going to be SO lucky to wake up to this someday. (And in the meantime, that person is me!)

So I challenge you… to get naked. Turn on your favorite music (tell me in the comments what that is — I need some new tunes), and go about your morning rituals for two weeks. Unless of course one of your rituals is walking to Starbucks for some coffee ;p