#nofilter

One scroll through my newsfeed and I am exhausted. I think I am friends with world’s most perfect human beings. I am confident in who I am, but I instantly start to compare my life: my clothes, my vacations, my body, my job, my family, my relationship…Ladies, does anyone feel me?

As women we have so much pressure to have it all, do it all and be all…to everyone and everything. I get so easily overwhelmed with trying to have everything, be great at everything I do, and look good doing it. Society wants us to be independent, but not a pushy bitch.  Be confident, but not conceited. Be humble, but not a door mat. Be curvy and skinny and athletic all at the same time. Have a healthy tan, but don’t go in the sun. Take care of the household chores and the children, but make sure you are financially independent. Be “one of the guys”- love football and nachos, but remain a size 2. Be beautiful, but all-natural. Be creative, but not outside-the-box.

It’s exhausting, contradicting, and impossible. As women today our self confidence is built on the number of people who like our Instagram posts rather than our actions and character. We compare our lives to other people through filtered pictures of one moment in time. Who is going to showcase anything other than a hot boyfriend, perfect children, amazing clothes, and mouth watering meals? It has created narcissistic people obsessed with portraying a fake glimpse of who they really are. Honestly Beyonce, outside of you, who wakes up looking like anything other than a pubescent teenager? I am just as guilty as the next person in feeding into this unrealistic reality.

I have to stop and remind myself that no one’s life is as what it seems. We are all going through our own struggles no matter what our social media story says. We have to stop comparing and competing and just be happy with what our life looks like unfiltered. I hope to focus more on what’s happening in each and every moment rather than focusing on what moment will get the most "likes". I hope to be grateful, humble, and human and accept my flaws and insecurities while loving the strengths and beauty in others. At the end of the day, the truth is that real life has #nofilter…although if I could choose one for my own it would probably be Valencia. I want to try and make an effort to put down my phone and be more present, more engaged, and more involved with the time and experiences that are flying by. Who’s with me??