Let’s do a little experiment…

Go to your favorite social media platform right now and look at the first ten posts. 
(Seriously. Go ahead. I’ll wait. 🙂

Now scroll down.
How many show perfection? 
How many show struggle? 

I’m willing to bet that the majority show a level of perfection that makes you think that you’re not good enough or that you don’t work hard enough. Am I right?

Look – it’s easy to decide that everyone else out there has it better than you do. But the truth about social media is that it often doesn’t show the truth at all.

Take the following into consideration as you scroll through posts day after day:

1. We Think We Are Missing Out if We Don’t Post

Ladies, if you’ve been feeling less than stellar and haven’t posted about:

– your business

– your children

– your road trip

– your vegan taco salad

No one is going to miss those posts, except for you.

Don’t get me wrong, here, I think it’s super important to mind your social channels. But you’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to skip a day. Or two. You’re allowed to take a breather and trust that God has your back and that you won’t miss out on a sale, a connection, or an opportunity. The only thing that you’re missing out on is the chance to experience life without being digitally connected 24/7.

Trust in your own disconnect and allow it. Come back when you’re ready and rested. We’ll wait for you.

2. We Compare Our Lives to Others

Beauties, I know you’ve spent time scrolling through Facebook or Instagram thinking, “Man, her life is so perfect. She must have done EVERYTHING right.”

Not so much.

The reality is that her behind the scenes life is just as chaotic, just as crazy, and just as messed up as the rest of ours. Yet we judge her life and business by a single photo and decide she has it all figured out.

Kind of like this picture. I’ve got it all together, right?

Not so much.

As I worked to take the perfect picture I kept thinking, “Am I sitting up straight? How much psoriasis can you see? Should I use this filter or that one? Is the background cute?”  Etc, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah…

This photo of me was the 7th attempt before I finally said, “Ahh, heck. Who cares! Just post one.”

THIS ISN’T REALITY!

The reality is:
My 4 year old is sitting next to me begging for orange juice.
The camera angle isn’t how I wanted it to be.
I’m so ready to guzzle that cold cup of coffee just to keep my eyeballs open.
I want to be outside but it’s hot and I don’t want to complain after a frigid Minnesota winter.

I’m sure I’m missing something on my to-do list. (Yep! I forgot to mail that package!)

This. Is. Business.

Business is not about perfection. 
It is not about comparison. 
It is not about outshining others and topping them.

It is about managing the day-to-day realities and remembering that there will always be struggle. 
It is about how you manage that struggle that will see you through.

Lena Horne is credited with saying, “It’s not the load that breaks you down. It’s the way you carry it.”
Carry it with pride and with strength.
Carry it with love and with passion. 
And drop any desire to compare and contrast. 
Again, you are enough. You always have been.

3. The Large Majority of Posts Aren’t Authentic

NPR did a segment on how social media isn’t very social and often disingenuous. In fact, studies conducted showed that people who spend more time on social media than in social circles actually feel isolated.

To help make them feel more secure, they might post things that aren’t always true or authentic. For example, they may be suffering behind the scenes because of a personal struggle or a broken relationship. Maybe their sales are down and they feel desperate.

But it doesn’t look that way from their posts.

I mean, really, how often do you post about reality and struggle?
Not very often.
And to be clear, this isn’t wrong.
But what would happen if you were a little bit raw? A little bit real?

What would happen if you were honest about your struggles?

If you follow me, I’m a huge fan of authenticity. You see the good, the bad, and the ugly. And no one runs away. Sure, there are things that are personal to me and my family, and those things stay in check. But there are also truths that I share with the Kendra, INC. community because I know that in real life, there is always a level of struggle. And without struggle, there isn’t growth.

Post the raw, the real, and be ready.
Be ready for others to relate.
Be ready for others to thank you for your rawness.
Be ready for a few to call you out on your authenticity. They may be uncomfortable with it. It’s okay. When you speak from your heart, you speak to theirs. If they don’t hear your message now, they will later.

4. What It All Comes Down To…

In Matthew 7:1-2 it reads: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

What does this mean?

It means you need to be careful when you judge others and what is in their hearts. By judging others, you open yourself to questioning your own actions and beliefs. Jesus is love, and wants us to walk in love. Truly. This truth is so simple, yet we complicate it so much.

So that you can walk in love, be kind to those around you and do not judge. Let Jesus be the one to judge the actions of others.

The truth about social media is that it isn’t true at all. 
Let go of how others do their ‘thang. 
Instead, embrace the truth of who you are and share it with the world. 

The results will amaze you.

Share a social media post or blog with us where you were brave and willing to show the reality of your life. What kind of response did you get? Are you willing to do it again?

Can’t wait to hear from you!