I love posting my life on Facebook: how happy my kids are. all. of. the. time. How smiley and clean my family is, how no one throws a tantrum. ever. No one has a runny nose, no one screaming bloody murder or obscenities. I love posting the sunny days and beach outings and non-migraineful days.
While I'm on the topic, I also love looking through Pinterest and pinning things pretending that this is my real life. These are the outfits I will one day own (dream on) that hang in my magnificent walk-in closet that is inside my master suite bedroom which is painted in the perfect combination of colors to fit my zen or spiritual chakra or feng shui or whatever the word is I'm looking for. I love pinning the foods I will one day (probably never) make, the places I will someday visit when I'm a zillionaire writer, the perfect (non-stained) outfits my kids will wear when I have the time (and buttloads of money) to accessorize them the way a child of 0-years-old should be accessorized.
I'm a sarcastic person so I didn't actually mean that I loved those things. In fact, I actually kind of hate it. Facebook sometimes reminds me of the Jones' and why I hate keeping up with them (don't even get me started on those Kardashians). It's so hey, check out my life, my peeerfect life without any of the this is my real life lifeness. And I don't do this to make people think my life is perfect, most of the times I post these pictures to keep my mom in the loop of what we're up to but in posting all the joyous, loving, non-messy-life moments no one gets to see that my real life isn't always that neat. Real life is a whole cup of coffee spilled on the floor that my one-year-old grabbed off the table like a sloppy drunk, which is exactly what happened this morning.
Months ago I began this thought process with my love / hate relationship with my fake online life. And then I read THIS POST that totally resonated with me. My online life only shows a small slice of life; the part that is cleaned up and often times Instagrammed to look vintage (or Lomo) and cool. But I don't want people to look at my life and think, "Gosh. What a together chick. What a beautiful family and life and perfectness she's got going there," because that isn't my truth. Around this time I started Fighting my Good Fight, feeling a bit like Alice falling through the rabbit hole and I thought I want to write about my ugly, my vulnerable, my not Pinteresty perfect life. This was in September. And then as most bloggers do, I got sidetracked. I wrote other stuff, swearing I would get to this... one day.
3 weeks ago, I found this on a past co-workers FB page: 40 Days of (Imperfect) Beauty. Apparently, I wasn't the only one having these thoughts that there is something a bit damaging to our psyche about always trying to maintain, keep up, airbrush, and smooth overe. And so again, I made the promise to myself to start this, my own imperfect life revolution. And in the process invite others to also welcome in their own imperfections, like a big hug to yourself.
So I'm starting today. March 27. Good a day as any. And I'm starting by owning my imperfection with time and not committing myself to writing about my road to an imperfect life every Monday or every Wednesday. Maybe I'll just leave it at every week. And if I miss one week, I'll try not to be so hard on my imperfect self.
This is a journey that I think is worth taking and one that I think is really important in a world full of reality shows that don't show reality and airbrushed models that need not be airbrushed.
We are not perfect.
So... who's coming with me on my Road to an Imperfect Life.
While I'm on the topic, I also love looking through Pinterest and pinning things pretending that this is my real life. These are the outfits I will one day own (dream on) that hang in my magnificent walk-in closet that is inside my master suite bedroom which is painted in the perfect combination of colors to fit my zen or spiritual chakra or feng shui or whatever the word is I'm looking for. I love pinning the foods I will one day (probably never) make, the places I will someday visit when I'm a zillionaire writer, the perfect (non-stained) outfits my kids will wear when I have the time (and buttloads of money) to accessorize them the way a child of 0-years-old should be accessorized.
I'm a sarcastic person so I didn't actually mean that I loved those things. In fact, I actually kind of hate it. Facebook sometimes reminds me of the Jones' and why I hate keeping up with them (don't even get me started on those Kardashians). It's so hey, check out my life, my peeerfect life without any of the this is my real life lifeness. And I don't do this to make people think my life is perfect, most of the times I post these pictures to keep my mom in the loop of what we're up to but in posting all the joyous, loving, non-messy-life moments no one gets to see that my real life isn't always that neat. Real life is a whole cup of coffee spilled on the floor that my one-year-old grabbed off the table like a sloppy drunk, which is exactly what happened this morning.
Months ago I began this thought process with my love / hate relationship with my fake online life. And then I read THIS POST that totally resonated with me. My online life only shows a small slice of life; the part that is cleaned up and often times Instagrammed to look vintage (or Lomo) and cool. But I don't want people to look at my life and think, "Gosh. What a together chick. What a beautiful family and life and perfectness she's got going there," because that isn't my truth. Around this time I started Fighting my Good Fight, feeling a bit like Alice falling through the rabbit hole and I thought I want to write about my ugly, my vulnerable, my not Pinteresty perfect life. This was in September. And then as most bloggers do, I got sidetracked. I wrote other stuff, swearing I would get to this... one day.
3 weeks ago, I found this on a past co-workers FB page: 40 Days of (Imperfect) Beauty. Apparently, I wasn't the only one having these thoughts that there is something a bit damaging to our psyche about always trying to maintain, keep up, airbrush, and smooth overe. And so again, I made the promise to myself to start this, my own imperfect life revolution. And in the process invite others to also welcome in their own imperfections, like a big hug to yourself.
So I'm starting today. March 27. Good a day as any. And I'm starting by owning my imperfection with time and not committing myself to writing about my road to an imperfect life every Monday or every Wednesday. Maybe I'll just leave it at every week. And if I miss one week, I'll try not to be so hard on my imperfect self.
This is a journey that I think is worth taking and one that I think is really important in a world full of reality shows that don't show reality and airbrushed models that need not be airbrushed.
We are not perfect.
So... who's coming with me on my Road to an Imperfect Life.
This is a revolution, people... are you ready?
Bring it on - I'm ready!! I am as imperfect as they come! I try to include pics or quips in my social media streams of the imperfect, but honestly, when things are going to shit it's kind of hard to stop and take a picture. I imagine like it was for you with that cup of coffee on your floor. Loved this post!
ReplyDeleteI'll come with you! I think it's a good idea! I will totally participate. The only thing I won't post a picture of is me without makeup. Makeup is me and I am makeup. Everything else is pretty much fair game.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea. But it's a hard balance. I hate seeing everyone's stream of perfect life, perfect house, perfect kids, perfect MAKE UP. But I also hate seeing complaint posts about how EVERYTHING is fucked up ALL THE TIME. I think I like to see imperfection with humor and grace. Everyone has a story. Bad things happen to everyone. It's how you carry on that defines you. I'm a huge fan of people who have had not so perfect things in their lives happen but are still posting the most positive status updates.
I agree. I don't want to hear complaints. Complaints aren't imperfection, they're whiny and usually about silly things that aren't really that important. I want to see real. Your rela family that spills things and has fights but loves each other anyway. Your real "i've had two children and look at this ass" real ass. Not your ass through the eyes of Instagram where you've played with lighting and borders and Lomo-fied everything. I read a book where a character talked about her scars and their beauty because that meant she had survived something. I want to see that kind of imperfection, the shit that makes you real.
DeleteYay! Beth and Shauna coming along. I'm stoked!!!
ReplyDeleteI jumped in and joined you! http://www.momma-candy.com/2014/04/road-to-imperfect-life-house.html
ReplyDeleteWe are all imperfect with our own giants to face. My giant may be a mole hill for someone else and vice versa. Comparison makes it all worse. Time to let it go and be real. Trusting God every step of the way. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree Starla. We all have our "things" that make us feel inferior and imperfect and even worse when we judge ourselves by comparing ourselves to others.
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