Mom with a Mess

I catch myself scrolling through social media scrolling past perfectly curated photos. Children in perfectly styled clothes with bows still intact, realizing the new style is white, beige, and more white… I look up from my phone, I see brightly colored toys scattered even though I’ve picked them up four times now. I see my daughter who I had to wrestle to put pants on, a house with lots of color and lots of memories being made.

You see, it’s so easy to get caught up in those little squares of other’s lives. I would think that’s how MY life and home should be. I must be doing this all wrong. Social media can be inspiring, but dangerous. I am proud of those moms who can have it all together and easily downsize their excess. But I’m also proud for the home we have created. Seeing perfectly curated photos I’ll tell you now, is not always a reality. As someone who has blogged for years now and found a love for photography, I won’t lie, I’ve been a part of that “lifestyle look”. But I also want to be real with you all.

So here I am, being a mom with a mess. The kind of mess that would spark Marie Kondo some anxiety. I have found it more important to surround myself with happiness, and not wandering if it’ll match a certain aesthetic or not. If you are scrolling down your feed, take this thought with you. Be happy for others and don’t take it as competition. Those pictures are just as beautiful as the one you want to share of your food, your weight loss journey, or your kid enjoying life.

Life is much to short to feel bad about how you decide to live and share that life.

Don’t let social media fool you into thinking you aren’t living right. I admire those who can have minimalist decor and have an indoor greenhouse. But I’m also not going to envy the life they have, because mine is pretty great. (Although I do wish I didn’t have such a black thumb. Fake plants for the win!)

I love that my husband and I both work, and when we aren’t working we can solely focus on our daughter, and hobbies we have.

Don’t live for the ‘gram, live for the fam. I know, super cheesy but I mean it. Years from now you won’t want to remember having to take 50 photos of your child just to get the shot you think will bring the most likes. Get the shot that fills your heart, and don’t fret about cropping out that mess. Don’t think we don’t all have imperfect homes and hard days, we are human and it’s normal.

Some choose to create a positive space on the internet, but don’t let that fool you or discourage you either. Instead be inspired by what you see. Be happy for them, because I’m sure they wish nothing but happiness for you too.

Embrace the mess mamas, and know that I’m right there with you.