Today I finally gathered the courage and went to a regular public beach in Palanga with a firm intention to get completely naked. What I expected and what actually happened turned out to be two completely different things.
I thought I would struggle for a long time, deciding whether to leave at least something on as my last line of defense, or take it all off. And then, once I finally undressed, some elevated feeling of freedom and inner enlightenment would descend upon me. The day was supposed to become spiritually significant, almost transformative.
Everything turned out quite differently.
When I arrived at the beach, looked around, and realized this was the moment, I simply thought: “Okay, let’s do it.” I got completely naked almost immediately, right next to my things. To my surprise, there was no strong awkwardness or panic. No one was staring, no one was pointing fingers. I spread out my towel and lay down as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
The most surprising part was how naturally everyone around behaved. Most people were in swimsuits — basically everyone was dressed — while I lay there completely naked. And yet, no one made a scene or looked at me with disapproval. On the contrary, several people smiled, and one couple even came up to me and said they admired my courage and naturalness.
I especially remember the moment when a guy around twenty-five politely asked if I wanted him to apply sunscreen to my back. I agreed. He carefully, without any hints or awkwardness, applied the cream to my bare back, shoulders, and even a little on my thighs. It felt strange, yet very calm. There was no tension at all.
I looked around a lot and realized one important thing: when people are in swimsuits, we already see almost everything. When you remove the last bits of fabric, the difference isn’t actually that big. The body remains just a body. Nothing shocking.
The most pleasant sensation was when I went into the water and then lay on the shallow shore, letting the waves of the Baltic Sea gently rock me. The sun warmed my skin, and a light breeze caressed my entire body — without a single covered spot. It was incredibly relaxing and gave me a wonderful sense of freedom.
What struck me the most was how ordinary the whole experience felt. No drama, no inner breakthrough or ecstasy. Just a natural state. Now I fully understand why nudism is also called naturism — because being naked in nature feels surprisingly natural and right.
When I got home and looked at myself in the mirror, I saw a light sunburn on my breasts and stomach, but with no tan lines from a swimsuit at all. It looked so funny and new that I couldn’t help but smile.
Even though it was a regular beach and most people were dressed, I never regretted my decision for a second. On the contrary, I felt a slight sense of pride for having dared to do it.