Craving Real.

We are living in culture that is bending towards being “real” and “all-natural.”

Real food. All-natural make-up products. Real cleaning products. Real looks. Real relationships. Real pictures. Real…you name it.

We all desire to see the true and authentic side of well, everything. We want to see people living their REAL lives. We want to look REAL, for on the cheap. We want REAL relationships that have no ounce of fake in them. And for many, REAL food.

Yet we continue to buy into the idea that “fake” or edited versions are better. I know that sounds so untrue, but it couldn’t be MORE true. And guess what, I join you in this too.

So many of us are desiring real and authentic relationships. We want to see the true colors of EVERYTHING. Yet what we fail to realize is that we too, just as easily buy into the idea that “fake” or edited versions are just better. And really, just plain safer. Aren’t they? It’s safe to hide behind the edited version because it isn’t messy. It isn’t ugly. It isn’t vulnerable. But edited isn’t always better.

What if, just WHAT IF, others saw the REAL versions of ourselves? What if we posted about the fact that we put a frozen pizza in the oven the other night, instead of creating the latest gourmet meal? What if we posted a picture of ourselves fresh out of bed, instead of fresh out of getting ready? What if we posted a picture of our houses in a complete disaster, instead of neatly organized (which really, is like 1% of the time, right?)

We live like we WANT real and authentic from everyone else, but we aren’t willing to live out the real in our very own lives. We run to fake eyelashes, hair extensions, picking up or wiping the crumbs off before taking the picture, fixing our hair before sending a snapchat, making a specific meal so we can document it on our Instagram Stories, etc. And if a picture doesn’t turn out just how we want it to, well, we do nothing with it. And our camera rolls end up with pictures of well, no worth to us. Because that’s how we end up seeing ourselves – of not having any worth, unless it’s perfect and worth sharing.

But yet we crave real and fail to be real ourselves.

So let me ask again, what if, just WHAT IF, others saw the REAL versions of ourselves? My most meaningful and authentic friendships are with those who I see all sides of. Our best and our worst. Our good and bad. Our put together and the not so much. Our stories of botched meals and all. Our stories of tears and laughter.

I CRAVE REAL. I crave for everyone in my life to just be real with me. But before I can put any expectation on others, I have to first take a look at the log in my own eye and see that daily, I am making choices to show a “fake” or edited version of myself. That is NOT real. This is something I am working on every day because I want to be seen as a REAL person. A messy, crazy-haired, frazzled mess, at times. But that’s REAL.

So you may see a random picture of me in my robe. You may see a random pic of something not-so-exciting. But that is REAL. Sometimes life is mundane and not a Hollywood moment every second of the day.

Mama, don’t be afraid to be REAL. What if, just WHAT IF, someone saw the real version of you? What would they see? Don’t be ashamed. Because you know what? We will ALL relate to you – more than if you gave us an edited version of you. Because you are real and we all crave REAL. So just be YOU.