Social media has created a world of perfection, but in reality perfection isn't the truth of life.
I feel like as we scroll through our newsfeed drooling over these beautiful pictures on social media of perfect homes and well put together families we all start to dream about what life 'can' be. We see these moms (who we never met) with a ridiculous amount of followers appear to have the coolest mom gig in the world, that it naturally makes you want that life. As I am scrolling sometimes I catch my mind wandering into the idea of "How cool would it be to be that mom with the dream job of this perfect life as an influencer?" It just looks so glamorous, and effortless. Those flashy photos of perfection, thousands or sometimes millions of followers, all that "free stuff" they get from their promotions and paid endorsements. Sounds legit right, I mean popularity on social doesn't sound bad right?
Ok, let get real. I truly don't believe it's a "dream job" to be an influencer and I don't want that job. I love my blissful chaos that I live in. I love that my life may not appear perfect on social media. I love that I post the real me and my real family and my real life. Why? Because this is our reality and I don't want to put up a faced that everything is perfect, because it really isn't.
What is real life in my home are the many moments of blissful chaos:
Our kids jumping off of the couch like they are sky diving into the piles of pillows on the ground.
Both kids bouncing back and forth screaming like they are both the star of some Metal band
My shirt sags showing off my sexy nursing bra because my 3 year old thought it would be funny to pull mommy into the other room by my shirt.
And the trail of cheerio crumbs that showers my floors and the bottom of my feet as I track the crumbs to another room that was just cleaned.
As you can see our home isn’t always picture perfect, but there are moments of sweet joy in the chaos. The other day, I walked into the living room to find this beautiful moment that I think is Instagram worthy where the Christmas tree is decorated, stockings are hung, husband is playing with our calm (rare moment) kids, and the living room floor is clean; oh and no tv! Now it may not all be as "picture perfect" as what people put on social media, but the quietness, the focus, the homey decor is my "picture perfect".
Speaking of chaos, it happened 30 minutes after the sweet picture I shared above... (insert eye-roll). Let's take a look at more of "real life" moments of motherhood, the photos that we normally don't see on social media. I call this the "Behind the Scenes" moments. Its those moments when I feel like my house turns upside down (see the 3 pictures below.)
My bed is unmade - why have my toddlers not learned how to make the beds in the house?
The kitchen has so much ‘stuff’ on the counters - how on earth did we accumulate so much 'stuff' and why is there an empty milk jug on the counter, a balloon for 2 weeks ago on the floor and a giant wine box on the floor?
The pile of laundry on the guest bed - why is it there? Why has it not magically made its way to the closet where it belongs?
I just have so many questions and there are days that I wonder "Why am I not a true minimalist? Why do we have so much stuff?"
Then that next reality moment behind the scenes - my hair. Ya'll there are so many days I snap some cute picture of my kids and what you don't see is my momma hot mess look. You know, the crazy/ mess/ floppy/ wild/ frizzy hair. The no makeup. The shirt on from yesterday. The "I survived yesterday, now I gotta do it again" look. We have all been there. It's like the mom uniform I am learning, but you know what, us moms rock the look because we survived the day and that is what matters.
Do we really think this 'perfect life' that these Instagram influencers we follow truly have a perfect life? Absolutely not!! I know there must be something real and raw behind that perfect photo. I know that momma most likely had some recent days:
That she hasn't washed her hair in a few days.
That her makeup was maybe from yesterday.
That she has a trail of some kind of cereal through her home.
That she has a pile of clothes in her room and in the dryer.
That her kids have turned her perfect living room into a bounce house.
There is absolutely no way all of these mom influencers live in a house of perfection. It's impossible if they did, unless they had hired help for every task in their home - there home is truly not perfect. There is imperfection somewhere, its just that we don't see it and that is ok.
For me, I am ok to not live my life in perfection (even though I will try here and there). Why is that? Because with the state of my chaos home, I think this is perfection. Because it’s my family living our days together, in 1 home, together; it’s my little blissful chaos and I’m so thankful for this moment in my life, no matter the mess as it’s proof of perfection of a family living their days together in love, laughter and joy.
What does your blissful chaos look like?