There is something so profoundly wonderful about being naked with someone who you’re so comfortable with that you don’t even notice that you’re unclothed. When it becomes second nature to just climb out of bed with your cellulite and stretch marks and squishy bits and waltz right into the kitchen without thinking twice about the fact that you’re totally naked and exposed, it’s one of the best feelings in the world.

And the things is, you don’t even notice how great of a feeling it is in the moment because you’re not thinking about it, which is what makes it so wonderful. Once you’re clothed and covered up, you realize that you just spent hours wandering around this person’s place naked without one self-conscious thought. It may not be a big deal to some, but I believe that every person—no matter how confident or beautiful—has some level of insecurity when it comes to being naked in front of another human being. Whether it’s being naked for the first time or the one-hundredth time with your person, once you reach the point where your insecurities don’t cross your mind once, you know that this person and this relationship may really be something special.

Being naked with a significant other goes so much farther than just making you feel comfortable with your sexuality and desires. It leads to an entirely new level of embracing your body for all of its beauty and imperfections. You realize that you, and them, and every other person on the planet is a perfectly imperfect human who’s beauty—inside and out—can be loved and appreciated by another human being. And that in itself, is beautiful.