So I love posting amazing pictures! They show all of the greatness that I want to be seen. Like you the rabbit hole that is social media can be extremely blurred. We spend so much time on it that we forget the people we are viewing are normal just like you and I! Forgetting that simple lesson leaves us with a skewed reality!
Everything Isn’t What It Seems
One thing about pictures even in their most edited form only show you the outside vision. It doesn’t show you what people are going through on the inside. So you’re not seeing broken marriages, depressed beings, abused children, hurting individuals and dysfunction. Let me say that not all people who take great pictures are hiding. Some people are doing the work or have done the work to allow the joy that is inside to show up on their outside. However there are some who have these filtered lens of lift so let’s talk about it!
Altered Lens
To avoid stepping on folks’ toes I’ll talk about myself. For years I was going through deep depression. My family was taking amazing pictures being called goals and going home closing the door to trauma. So on the outside we were the picture perfect family. We had the amazing hard working husband and doting father. We had the mom with the most who always seemed to make the best memories. The kids were living their best lives but still witnessing on occasions the effects of the adults not taking into consideration that work needed to be done. It wasn’t until we realized we had to get it right that the real joy could be seen in us first and others last!
Comparison’s Lies
We spent more time trying to get our lives like the next one that we have no idea what’s going on. Although I’ve gotten counseling well both my husband and I have, we weren’t okay. We both have gotten to the place of complete joy personally and collectively. We did have moments when we concentrated on what wasn’t there more than what was there. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones. The lies we tell ourselves:
- We don’t have enough
- We could be happier
- We could be richer
- They look better together
- When is it my time?
Change the Focus
It’s something beautiful that we have now. The light that we get to experience in us is amazing. One thing about the pandemic is that we learned that the years we learned to flip the lens has helped us in the long run. We haven’t needed to argue as often. We spend more time loving each other than at each other’s throats. We are constantly showing up for ourselves as individuals which allows us to show up as a couple. We aren’t goals we are works in progress. We shattered the lens. We got real. We learned how to fight fair and how to get aligned. This isn’t just a message only for those in relationships.
However one of the greatest mirrors you will have to shine the light into the dark areas of your personal life is to be in a marriage. Marriage will challenge that darkness.
Light Work
So what are you envying behind the scenes? Is it someone’s life or lifestyle? Their mate? Spend more time shining the light towards you! I promise you that you will get more results in your life that you won’t spend time eyeing someone else’s journey. It’s hard not to admire someone. It’s one thing to admire and another to desire their whole life altogether. Don’t forget you never know what someone is going through on the inside. You never know how much hard work someone is giving and all you see is easy. What looks easy surely isn’t!
Smokescreens and reality are so super close in their appearance. What looks honorable and right may not be! What looks great may not be! It may be flawed in the worse way! However never let what you think, see, or hear make you think less of yourself. Unsubscribe and unfollow anything that makes you angry, upset, or dissatisfied with life. Work on the areas those feelings show! Remember that you have a good life. What you call issues could be someone else’s portion that they desire.
Let’s Work
Be satisfied with what you have. Build yourself from the inside out and let your light shine. When others become jealous of that light, don’t let it get under your skin that you try to dim it to make others feel uncomfortable! Let’s all do our own work to better humans in this world. Let’s do our parts to foster homes full of love. Let’s show more love to those around us. Stand on our principles but not dim ourselves for any reason!
