No one is perfect. We all present this ideal version of ourselves as we go about our days, when we’re with friends and family, and on social media. Every aspect of how we carry ourselves is curated to be appealing to others; no complications, no messes, no problems. Living in a world of filters and well staged Instagram photos has sparked this idea that being less than perfect and well put together means you’re doing something wrong. What you forget as you’re bombarded with perfect captions and highlights from people’s days is there’s a different person who sits behind closed doors. When the day comes to an end and the guard comes down, there is a person who has been hurt, someone who struggles, and probably can’t wait until they are able to put on sweat pants when they get home.
No one is exempt from the hurts life can bring, but that’s not something people will typically share. Comparing yourself to what an individual allows you to see about their lives wouldn’t be fair because you’re seeing only a small glimpse of their reality. You won’t see the struggle, the mistake they made, or their failure. Life is messy no matter who you are, so don’t be afraid to own your unique journey.
Vulnerability isn’t weakness. I think there’s a great strength that comes with being able to say you’re not always put together and life isn’t always that great for you. Each tribulation makes us who we are, without it there’d be no personal growth. So before you Instagram stalk the person you wish you were, remember they’re only presenting themselves at their best.
Perfection isn’t possible, simply striving to do your best is enough. So what if life is a mess and things are going wrong? The best lessons come from our dark times and make us the person we need to be when things are good. There’s not a right or wrong way to live your life, it’s a very personal process.
Don’t sell yourself short. Embrace the person you are behind closed doors, because there’s no one like them in this world. What a blessing to be a complete original, with your own problems and your own quirks. Comparisons will get you no where because you’re not meant to be exactly like someone else. Your journey is different and that’s OK, just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Being broken isn’t wrong, feeling hopeless isn’t wrong, those are things everyone walks through at some point in their lives. Give yourself grace and accept who you are, weakness and all, because you are exactly who you were meant to be.
