Cindy Kimberly in Bathing Suit Goes "Behind the Scenes"

Cindy Kimberly, the SI Swimsuit model, just shared some behind the scenes polaroids on Instagram. In them, Kimberly posed in a set of different swimsuits, including a black and white checkered bathing suit, and a pink bathing suit. She opened up about what it was like to do the shoot in the caption. “Apart from this being an amazing experience, just for the fact that I dreamt of this since I was 17, and we got to shoot it in Barbados, and I got to live out my rihnavy dreams, it was amazing to feel so free and embraced on set working along with a group of people that not only made me feel comfortable, but really made me feel like the most special and sexy version of myself.” Read on to see 5 ways Cindy Kimberly stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She Stays Positive

Kimberly tells Nylon Magazine that she makes sure to stay positive each day. She says that she does things that help her stay positive. “I try to keep myself mostly in the same routine, so I usually journal every morning, and I like to say my affirmations. Especially when you’re doing something as vulnerable as a swimsuit shoot, I write my affirmations, and I make sure that I remind myself that my body is not what everyone else wants it to be, and that it’s a blessing that I have a body that takes care of me and allows me to experience life. Just reminding myself to be thankful in every way, and just accepting myself in whatever way I am is probably the one thing that I feel is the most important in order to prepare for something like this.”

2. She’s Open About Her Mental Health

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Kimberly is open about her struggles with mental health, and wants to encourage others to feel like they aren’t alone. “Mental health problems can feel very isolating,” Kimberly tells SI Swim. “I know for a fact that when I am having an episode, it really feels like it’s just me that's feeling that way—like I’m either broken or unlike the people around me. So I try to be open about it because I hope someone out there might identify with it and realize they’re not alone.”

3. She Doesn’t Feel Pressure To Be Perfect

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Kimberly tells SI Swim that she no longer feels the pressure to appear perfect all the time. “It feels like a lot of pressure to behave however you think you are expected to,” she says. “I like being open about the fact that I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time, how I’m figuring it out as I go, how I doubt myself and my place in the world or the world itself. Because I think everyone is and if we were just honest about it, the pressure of having to behave like a 'functioning human in society' wouldn’t feel as terrifying.”

4. She’s Proud Of Herself

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Kimberly tells SI Swim that she is very proud of her accomplishments and how her career has gone so far. “I feel very proud that I’ve gotten this far in my mental health and life in general,” she says. “I’m proud of myself every day. I’m proud of every single job I’ve ever had—small or big.”

5. She Takes Care Of Her Mom

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Kimberly tells SI Swim that her mother is one of her biggest motivations and inspirations. She says that she wants to be able to give back to her mom for everything. “My mom struggled a lot to raise [me] being a single mother," she explains. "Being able to work and take care of her is my biggest reward and it’s the thing that makes me the happiest, so I'm proud and thankful for anything that has gotten me [to where I am].”