My Naked Journey

        First of all, I would like to send my deepest thanks to Alexis for allowing me to share my story. I only discovered this blog a couple months ago, but it did not take long for me to notice her drive, passion, and love for nudity. Not just her own, but everyone else’s nudity as well. And why? Simply put, because of the joy it can bring to one’s life. Through all of life’s turmoil, it helps her. And it has helped me, too.

GETTING PERSONAL

        My name is Thomas. I am 36, single, and have lived my whole life in Wisconsin. I grew up a normal child in a loving, Christian family. Life was beautiful, until I lost my mother to cancer when I was 11. From then on, happiness became a struggle. I became a quiet outcast in school; I was no longer connecting with friends and spending as much time alone as I could, just trying to survive, living inside my own head. Such has been the struggle for the next twenty-some years. But finally, in Spring 2019, I began to finally stand up for myself and work hard for things in life that are important to me.

SHAPING UP

        I started to gain weight around the time that my mom passed. It was never out of control, but since then, I have always been out of shape and never happy with my body. I tried diets and exercise off and on in my late 20’s and early 30’s. I even had some noteworthy success, but a failed relationship and internal insecurities eventually ate away at my self-esteem, causing me to regress in my healthy journey. But finally, last year, I somehow found new motivation to work on myself again- and nudity was my motivator.

A NUDE CAMPGROUND? IN WISCONSIN?

        As I began taking care of myself again through exercise and even some much-needed counseling, I realized I enjoyed not wearing clothing while at home. Just like almost any other adult male, the thought of being around other naked people can be quite thrilling, or at the very least, intriguing. Of course, I knew that nudist campgrounds and resorts existed, but I was shocked to find one so close to home through a simple web search! A nudist campground in Wisconsin?! I immediately began to dream about what it may be like to let your guard down and let complete strangers see you naked. Would it be exciting? Or would I be mortified and ashamed? Well, I decided it was worth the risk. I gave myself a weight goal over the next couple months, and if I met that goal, I would allow myself this new adventure as a reward.

Well, I met my goal. I looked at my naked body in the mirror. Did I think I looked good? No. But did I notice the work I’d put into rebuilding my confidence through exercise and determination? I certainly did! So that following weekend, off to the naked campground I went!

Once there, I was shaking like a leaf while removing my shorts. I could see many people only yards away who were wearing nothing but sandals and a smile- and maybe a hat. So I took one deep breath, dropped my clothes, and grabbed my towel to lounge by the pool with the others. What I realized that day, and the next few weekends that I returned, was that I was still a shy person when it comes to strangers. I didn’t try chatting with anyone, and they left me alone as they carried on with their own conversations. While that was certainly a letdown, the main thing I noticed was how free I felt, how refreshing the cool breeze felt across my whole body, and how no one was bothered by my nudity. I had made no friends, yet I still felt accepted in this newly discovered lifestyle. I was hooked.

NAKED IN SCHOOL

Once the hot, humid Wisconsin summer shifted to a crisp, cloudy autumn, I felt the urge to find other ways to enjoy nudism. I did an online search for nearby community centers and colleges that offered Figure Modeling classes, and I began emailing coordinators and professors, hoping someone might accept me as a model in the near future. Luckily, I received a positive response relatively quickly. I had a date: February 20, 2020. I immediately began reading as much learning material I could find, and started practicing poses in front of the mirror, making sure I could stay still for the more difficult ones. I was determined to do the best job I could, and to make the artists proud of how serious I took this job.

I knew it was generally a very small class, as the coordinator informed me that there could be as many as 15 artists one week, but then maybe only three the next. There were only five artists that evening, and that included the coordinator. Four men and only one woman. Once I dropped my robe and struck the first couple poses, all my nerves were gone. All my practice paid off, and the night went very well. It was an absolute thrill to be naked in front of clothed strangers! And the most important part was that I did not feel judged. Everyone comes in different shapes and sizes. And in the world of nudism, as well as art, no one cares what your body looks like.

And that’s a good thing. The artists were very appreciative that I put so much effort into my first time modeling, and were very encouraging with their words. By the end of my night, I knew this would not be a one-time experience. As I type this, I am one week away from my second opportunity to model for a class. It will be at a different location, and many more artists are expected than my first time. Figure modeling has become my favorite hobby.

“FLASH” PHOTOGRAPHY

Alright, nude campground and nude art are checked off my list. What’s next? Stripping off my clothes for a camera, of course! I have a female friend who is a professional photographer. We had joked in the past about me possibly modeling nude for her, but now I wanted to turn this joke into reality. I desired to continue to explore my new feelings of freedom, but also to embrace myself as a more confident and sexy human being. I wished to be photographed as a proud, sexual man still in the prime of his life. And my friend was very willing to help.

In May, we had a 2.5 hour photo shoot at a nearby hotel. She helped me feel at ease, encouraging me along the way to feel open, erotic, and masculine as she clicked away. Again, I was amazed at how comfortable I felt being naked in front of another person. We had a wonderful time, and we were both very happy with the results. But I am not done with my weight-loss journey. As with anyone, motivation will have its ups and downs. I am not as far along as I hoped to be at this point in time, but I am still pushing. In fact, we will be doing another photo te weight goal.

MAKING FRIENDS

By this time, I had made up my mind to make friends in the nudist community. I started my own Facebook group, meant for other nudists in Wisconsin who may join me at the nude campground this summer. And thankfully, it worked. Once June arrived, I returned to the camp again. And again. And again. By Labor Day, I had visited camp roughly ten times, and had met a great group of members who had made this place their home away from home over the years. Naked in the sunshine, naked in the pool, and even naked in the sand as we played game after game of volleyball. It was an amazing summer, and I am very thankful that I put myself out there and found more people who accept me for who I am, naked or clothed.

I even took a trip to Indiana to stay three nights at much larger and very popular nude campground. I went alone, however, and was surrounded by hundreds of people who were already in their own social groups. I reverted back to my quiet, shy self, and did not make much effort to engage in conversation with others. But I didn’t care. I had a full 72 hours to remain completely naked, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I plan to go back in 2021, whether I have friends to bring along or not.

Speaking of friends, it is around this time that I started to open up to my old college friends about my nudist adventures. Nudity has become a way of life for me, and I want to share that with others I care about. I have not told any family, and am not sure that I will. They would still love me, but I do not expect them to really understand. But my friends are all happy that I found this new chapter in my life, and I am glad I told them. I never expected any of them to have any interest in joining me someday, but to my surprise, I have a few male and female friends that have expressed curiosity. They have even said they are seriously considering joining me at the local campground next summer. I cannot describe the amount of joy I feel, knowing that they not only accept my new lifestyle, but are also possibly willing to try it out for themselves. While I am trying to not get my hopes up, I have high expectations for next summer.

MY NAKED FUTURE

For those still reading, I apologize for the length of my story. But I am glad you have taken the time to read it. If you have never tried social nudity but have been trying to muster up the courage, I hope my story gives you strength. If you have body confidence issues, I hope this gives you hope. And if you are a veteran of the nudist community, I hope this brings back some nostalgia of what you felt when you first discovered the thrill and freedom of taking off your clothes and embracing the body you have.

As the months and years continue to pass, I have more goals for myself. I will continue to get in shape. I will visit more nude campgrounds. I will model for as many art classes as I can, starting with next week. I will try to find secluded areas to enjoy nude hiking. I will continue to talk to friends and strangers about the joy of accepting your naked body. Through nudism, I have discovered who I am.

Keep smiling. Stay happy. And yes, stay naked.