Kelly Hughes Reflects on 2022, Says SI Swimsuit Feature Helped to Embrace Herself

She also shared her hopes for the year ahead in the inspirational post.

Kelly Hughes.Anna Webber/Getty Images

SI Swimsuit model Kelly Hughes has a lot to be grateful for this year. The mom, model and jewelry designer shared an Instagram post reflecting on 2022 while offering up her hopes for the year ahead.

In the Dec. 29 post, Hughes compiled several video clips, showing off swimwear and outfits, providing snippets of press interviews and showcasing special memories made with her son, Harlem.

“2022 def will be a year I will never forget 🥂…,” she wrote in her caption. “[the] most important lesson learned was when I focused on being the best at what I was doing and stopped looking at everything around me and what I was missing and most importantly accepted who I was as a woman at this point in my life was when the biggest blessing came and my son was a part of it all ❤️.”

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A post shared by KELLY HUGHES (@kellyhues)

She also called out her 2022 SI Swimsuit feature as a turning point in her career.

“Getting featured in @si_swimsuit this year not only changed the course of my career but it shifted my thinking into exactly where I needed to be to embrace who I had become and the best part of that was the amount of women around the world that it impacted as well,” she continued in her caption.

Hughes made history this year as the first model to show off a C-section scar in the SI Swimsuit Issue when she posed for photographer Fumie Hoppe in Miami.

She told SI Swimsuit that her scar was initially one of her biggest insecurities as both a woman and a model, but she later found beauty in embracing her imperfections.

“It wasn’t until I embraced my scar that I experienced the power in it. It took time to heal physically and mentally and embrace all that I had gone through in order to find the strength in it,” she said. “I truly haven’t felt as empowered by my scar as I do today. It wasn’t until recently that I felt somewhat like ‘me’ again and comfortable with my body. This photo shoot made me feel more confident than ever (even pre-baby).”

Several of her 61,000 followers chimed in to the comments section of her post with praise.

“❤️❤️❤️❤️ never give up on any of your goals in life,” wrote one person, while another fan commented, “👏👏👏You are amazing @kellyhues.”

Hughes wrapped up her inspirational post with her hopes for the future, writing, “I couldn’t be more thankful looking ahead at 2023 and all that’s to come !!! 💕 my goals for this year is to continue this message to represent and support women and normalize these changes we go through as mothers and entrepreneurs and lift each other up.”

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