In my continuing journey of parenting teaching me a thing or two about life and business, recently something big — and something I always suspected — became clear to me.
Everyone is lying.
Okay, not lying. Merely highlighting. Concealing. Exaggerating. Omitting. Stretching the truth a little. Leaving out a lot.
We post our best selves on social media. I get it. I do it too. I curate my Instagram as much as the next guy. (Seriously, is there anything Valencia can’t solve?)
And even though everyone knows that Facebook and Instagram are largely highlight reels, not for real reals, it doesn’t change the fact that sometimes all the scrolling, swiping, and skimming we do can leave us feeling like every single person we know (and especially don’t know) has it way more together than us — except for maybe the total weirdo acquaintance from college who makes really scary art.
So the other day I was reading posts in a Facebook group for moms, and I had an epiphany. It’s a closed group, and the focus is being kind and supportive to one another (which is the exact opposite approach the rest of the Internet takes on parenting). Since the group doesn’t allow personal attacks or judgments, the women are actually real with one another. They offer glimpses into their lives, their insecurities, their relationship struggles, their money problems, their family issues. Sometimes their posts are funny; sometimes they’re poignant, sometimes sad.
These women provide a look into their lives that many best friends don’t even let each other see. It’s especially interesting to have all these posts juxtaposed against the magazine-spread-perfect wedding photos in their profile pics and the family-in-a-field-wearing-coordinated-outfits-perfect cover photos. If I only saw the photos and had no access to their posts, I never, ever, ever would’ve expected they struggle at anything remotely similar to me.
Their realness is a constant reminder that everyone struggles with something. Everyone. And that it’s okay. Admitting it makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us relatable. It makes us human.
So be real. Share your triumphs with others, but share your struggles too. You never know who is feeling the same way and thinks they are the only one.
And remember, nobody’s perfect — even if Klout says they are.*
*I checked and the only person to ever have a perfect Klout score is Justin Bieber, and I don't beliebe he's perfect for a second.