Tips to help you take your best sensual selfies for the Sensual Selfie Challenge

Whenever I talk about sensual self-portraiture—either when I'm just talking to friends or teaching a workshop about it—this is the first question that gets asked. They want to know about the best ring lights to use, my favorite apps to put filters on my photos, or poses to make your body look bodacious.

I could give you all kinds of recommendations about this stuff, but I'm actually more interested in guiding you to connect to yourself and your body before, during, and after you take your sensual selfie.

So here are my tips for that.

Before you take a sensual selfie, get into your body by:

• Taking some mindful breaths

• Taking a bath or shower

• Self-pleasure (if that's your thing!)

• Touching and massaging your skin

• Drink some water (or wine)

• Eat something delicious (chocolate, juicy fruits,

• Putting on some music and moving your body

• Taking an inventory of how you're feeling about your body

• Putting on something (body oil, your favorite robe, highlight on your cheeks) that makes you feel yourself

• Say some affirmations—try, "I am a sensual being"

• Going through each of your senses and paying attention with them—i.e., What am I seeing right now? Smelling? Tasting? Hearing? Feeling?

During your sensual selfie photoshoot:

• Play music that helps you feel yourself

• Touch your body

• Light a candle or incense

• Breathe into your belly

• Take your selfies in a lot of light

• Look into your eyes through your phone; give yourself some love, appreciation, gratitude

• Surround yourself with things that bring you softness—flowers, plants, pillows, soft fabrics, etc.

• Move your body

• Take up space with your body; try poses that aren't your typical—spread your legs, raise your arms, hold your belly, get closeups of your scars and skin

Also: Don't look at your selfies after you take them. Just keep snapping photos until you feel complete

After your sensual selfie photoshoot:

• Journal (you’ll be given journal prompts with each sensual selfie prompt)

• Have a dance party

• Take a bath

• Drink some water

• Eat something delicious

• Go outside and breathe in fresh air

• Feel your feelings; be with them as they are

• Go for a walk

• Self-pleasure (if that's your thing!)

• Share a favorite selfie with a friend/partner

Also: When you looking at the selfies you took, pause for a moment and really see yourself. Look at your body, your skin, your face and try to not judge what you're seeing. Instead, see if you can just witness yourself without making any meaning about what you're seeing.

It's normal to feel a little awkward or frustrated while or after you're taking your selfies. This work isn't just about getting a pretty photo, we'll also be in the vicinity of reckoning with the look and feel of our bodies, with any narratives we might have around shame or judgment about our bodies or sensuality, with feeling like we're not enough or doing a good job.

Sensual self-portraiture can bring up a lot, and I encourage you to do your best to give yourself grace, space, and compassion as you explore this. Show up as you are and give yourself acknowledgment about how much courage that takes.

I promise you, you are enough.