The Real Life

The other day I was listening to the radio and the two hosts were having a debate about social media and studies that report it has caused people to be more depressed and dissatisfied with life. Stemming from jealousy and the fact that most people's profiles do not reflect their true life. Jealousy is one of my  many weaknesses, a constant battle inside. I understand where they are coming from....I am truly excited for all the people who got to go down to the beach for the holiday weekend, I myself got to take a day off work and spend a long weekend down at Grayton with my sisters and mom last month. But at the same time there is that little voice, "I wish I was at the beach." And the little green monster rears its ugly head. I am at home without an agenda and to do list with my healthy family. That is worth rejoicing over not wishing away. But there is something to be said for reflecting true life on my social media outlets. I only post pictures where the boys are mostly happy and behaved, where my face looks relatively non fat and no double chins are visible. I post about the days I make it to the gym and show pictures of my cleanest healthiest dinners. I post verses and lyrics that have uplifted me not the lyrics to the songs I had a mini dance party in the bathroom to. For the sake of transparency here is a a day in the real life.......

Thursday May 22

Hit snooze on the gym alarm for the 18th day in a row.

Skipped breakfast, running late. 

Yelled at Miller to GET IN THE CAR.

Could not find my car keys. 

Walked in late to meeting at the Central Office. 

Missed Kindergarten Honors Day.

Get a migraine. 

Can barely concentrate on the massive to do list. 

Before my second meeting at the Central Office I run through MC Donald's. always helps the headache. 

Oh well clean eating diet. 

Barely make the cut off to pick up farm delivery. 

Let the kids play outside until Adam gets home. 

Let Adam make dinner. 

Try to do as little as possible until falling into bed. 

A rather yucky, un productive, survival like day. Not all joyful or service orientated. 

However online: 

I posted a happy picture of my flower pots, a video featuring the Kid President on child hunger and lyrics to new favorite song "Multiplied".  Nothing to indicate the truth of the day, that I barely lived it. 

The picture of the day. 

Life is all different degrees of existence. We are all trying to do the best we can. Some days are better than others. Some days I am more effective than others. Some days I am more loving than others. So while I am tempted to let the pretty smiling faces and organic diets and hours spent in the gym and fancy vacations and perfectly dressed children, siblings that adore each other get me down or use these pictures as a measuring stick, I don't. I remember that all my friends and family are real. They have real lives, make mistakes, whine, argue, and just count down the hours until they can get in bed and start over tomorrow as well. I can let Pinterest make me feel guilty for all the things i cant or didnt do or i can use it as a resource for great ideas and to curate a collection of thoughts for later. I can make the choice to use social media for what I want it to be (a place to connect with people I wouldn't otherwise be able to, a place to encourage and uplift others, a place to record the memories I want to keep, a place to get new ideas) or I can let it get me down. So the next time you see a cute selfie of me and the boys remember that picture took 7 takes and that it is a representation of only a part of our everyday :) I pray that my online presence is one that uplifts.