Living Authentically: Saying “No” to the False Idol of Perfection
It’s been so long since I’ve written, and it’s impossible to put all of the reasons into one list. I started this blog as a way to share my life’s journey with others. To share the things I’ve learned in hopes that it may help someone else, to spread the message of hope that God brings, and to bring light to the lives of others. My social media page has been mostly a highlight reel (aren’t they all). But over the course of the last six months, my vision for my presence on social media has changed a little bit. The goal is still the same, spread hope, love, and happiness, but what that looks like is evolving.
Sure, I could continue to only post positive quotes, bright colors, and only allow happy pictures to fill my feed. Consumerism says you would buy into that. The following I’ve grown shows that you would follow me for that. The thousands of successful social media content creators are proof that this works. But we all know, that isn’t what real life looks like. And we compare, and we idolize, and we try to copy, and we feel not good enough, and thus the message is lost in translation. Dearest reader, I want to lift you up. I want you to know that you are not alone. I want you to feel seen and heard and like you and your life has value, because they do. My commitment to loving you has not changed, but how I do it has.
They say if you want to grow your following, post reels. Post every day. Post the right hashtags. Create a brand. Follow a theme. There are thousands of dos and don’ts when it comes to creating a successful social media presence. There are even more ways to monetize it. Sell the world on a promise to help them obtain or create something. And I’ve decided to say no to that. For a few reasons. For me, it doesn’t feel authentic. I don’t want to feel pressure to come up with a life changing quote or photo every day. Real life doesn’t work that way. Every life can be mundane, messy, stressful, and downright difficult too. Yes, there are many days of joy and excitement, but there are so many moments in between that also hold importance. We are shaped much more by the everyday messiness of life than we are by the picture perfect moments. Secondly, I don’t want your money. I don’t want your adoration. I don’t want fans or devoted followers. This isn’t about me and my ego. I want this to be about you, and about us. My goal to build a wellness on demand platform filled with courses you can purchase has changed. I will never sell you anything. If I recommend a brand or item, it will not be an ad. If I recommend a service, it will because I believe in its benefit, and I will not capitalize off of you accessing it. If I offer a course, it will be free. Will there be a day I may offer something for a price? Yes. But if I do, that money will go towards something for the collective. Whether it be a non-profit organization, or a fundraiser to help a human in need. I will not sell you anything for the benefit of my bank account.
I want to live authentically. And I think showing up here authentically is important for you too. It’s important for all of us. The word authentic has become a trend. It has become a marketing tool in itself; true authenticity is hard to find these days. It’s been painted like authenticity, paraded in a high-end store window, and is bought only to find that it’s cheaply made and brings no long-term wellness and leaves no lasting impact. It’s the influencers who travel the world for work while you sit in your office trying to make enough to feed your family. It’s the clothing that looks amazing on the picture-perfect body that was really photoshopped and makes you feel like a sack of potatoes when you buy it hoping to look the same. It’s the latest course in wellness that convinces you that your whole life will change upon purchase and completion. It’s the fitness model selling her workout routine that she swears will work in giving you a body that society has convinced you that you need. It’s not real. It’s not sustainable. And it’s not helping you. I don’t want to be that for you.
I want to be your friend. I want to be a reminder that it’s okay to be human. I want to be someone who shares her life with you, the good, the bad, the ugly, in hopes that you feel truly seen. And maybe, just maybe, you learn something or feel validated, and it makes your life just a bit easier, more enjoyable, or even just less painful.
So, my feed will be changing. Yes, I still like to take pretty pictures, but you will also see perfectly ordinary pictures too. I still like to make reels, but I do it because it’s fun and I want to make you laugh or feel empowered, not because I want you to follow me to fuel my ego. You’ll see me with makeup because I like makeup, but you’ll also see me without makeup, looking just like a human being, because that’s real life. You’ll hear about the exciting things happening in my life, but you’ll also hear about the hard parts. You’ll hear the truth. In reading this, maybe you’ll unfollow me. And that’s okay. But maybe you stick around because you crave the same kind of real that I crave. Maybe you want authentic connection too. Maybe you’re tired of the world of performance and the front of perfection.
A college friend of mine who passed away far too soon always used the catch phrase; be the change you wish to see in the world. So, let’s be the change together.