I have been thinking about writing this post for a while, and I decided it was finally time to just do it. I have been in a bit of a blogging funk lately. I have so much to blog about, but just can't seem to find the words to write.
In a world bombarded with social media - Facebook, Twitter, and especially Pinterest, I find myself constantly comparing myself to others. And all of this comparison makes me feel like I just don't quite measure up. Measure up to these impossible standards I have set for myself and society has set for me. I cannot do it all.
Source: Life Unfluffled |
I am a mom, first and foremost. That is my number one priority, but lately, I have been feeling completely burnt out. I don't get a lot of time to myself and it is really starting to wear on me.
I feel like my creative juices are gone, at least temporarily. I haven't had a chance to recharge my batteries. Then, I read other blogs and surf Pinterest to hopefully find some motivation and get my spark back, when really it just makes me feel like I am not enough. Like, how can all these other wives, moms, and crafters do all of these things and I feel like I am barely keeping it together most days?
Source: From Up North |
This is completely unfair. Of course, the projects I look at all seem great. These are the "beauty shots" of these women's lives. What I am not seeing is the dishes not washed, the staying up late, way after the kids are in bed to finish the project for a deadline, the 2 days it actually took to finish a half-hour project because the kids are running around, and need something, and they come first.
I have posted before how 'comparison is the thief of joy' and it truly, truly is. If I really sit back and think about it, I love my life. I love being a mom. I love my home (even in its completely imperfect state). I love my husband. I love being able to be home with my kids and not having to have a 'real' job. I love being able to have a hobby that can hopefully someday provide my family with extra income. But the minute I start looking at what others are doing, even those ladies I admire and aspire to be more like, all I can think about is how what I am doing is not enough.
Source: . . . and Spiritually Speaking |
I have been hesitant to show you all the spaces in my home because they will probably never be magazine-worthy. Even though I can organize spaces with the best of them, I cannot (and do not always want to) spend a fortune on bins and perfectly coordinated baskets. Maybe at another time in my life, I will be able to do that, but part of me will always be frugal. Even when we are doing great, financially. Part of me will always be earth-conscious and I would rather re-use something we have than go buy something new.
Source: Blimp Cat Studio on Etsy |
And even though my house may never be featured in a glossy spread magazine, my home is my own. I love it and I love that I can organize and DIY it. In reality, there are probably more of you who live in a home that looks like mine than there are those who live in a perfectly styled magazine-ready home. So, I am vowing to myself to embrace my home. Embrace the fact that I love the heck out of it because we have poured blood, sweat, and tears into it. Embrace my home because it is a home and not just a house. Embrace the imperfections and all its little quirks. Embrace the fact that it isn't huge, but every square inch of it is used to its fullest potential.
Source: Hey Miss Awesome on Tumblr |