I was talking with three beautiful women the other day. Two 20-somethings, a 40-something and I were talking about clothes. Inevitably, the conversation shifted to “problem areas” – body parts that each didn’t like about herself. One dislikes her arms; another, her thighs. In the midst of this negativity, I blurted out, “I have great legs.”

I do. (Part training and part genetics.)

Now that sounds a little boastful, I’m sure, and completely insensitive to the body-image slam down that was underway.

It just hit me that we are so good a pointing out the features we hate, but you never see a group of women talking about the features they love.

It made me wonder why it’s so hard to have conversations about how to play up great features, instead of always talking about how to camouflage areas we don’t like. Two sides of the same coin, it’s just that one side never sees the light of day.

So the next time you are talking with your girlfriends about clothes or fashion, and the conversation shifts to that verbal inventory of the body parts that each hates, try changing the dialogue. Let’s encourage women to see themselves for the beautiful individuals they are.