Perfection.

It's a crazy world we live in. People all over the place, striving to be better than the person next to them, chasing the idea of perfection, knocking others down in their attempts to achieve this unattainable idea. 

Perfection does not exist. Period. As humans, we aren't designed to be perfect. We're designed to live, to make mistakes, to learn and to grow.  

Social media lends people the opportunity to pretend to be something they very clearly in real life, are NOT. It allows people to live a fantasy, only sharing the things they choose, most often being what makes them look and feel better about their lives. The thing is, I tend to gravitate towards those who don't only show the happy, seemingly "perfect" side. It's comforting to me to know I'm not the only person out there struggling with real life stuff. 

I strive every day to be authentic. Actually, at this point it comes naturally. I don't put up fronts or pretend to be someone or something I'm not. It's just too freaking hard to keep up that kind of facade and I'm uninterested in doing so anyway. I used to care an awful lot about what others thought of me. I remember all too well what that felt like. As long as we're being real, I still do care, to an extent, just not in the way I once did. I used to be terrified of others seeing me vulnerable, hurting, lost, unsure of myself...the list goes on and on. I've learned through the years, by allowing others to see me in my very real, authentic state, I have been able to forge solid relationships. In those moments, others are able to let their guard down as well. It's truly a beautiful thing. 

It isn't a lot of fun to be close with someone who is always pretending everything is perfectly in it's place. It's easy to feel like your life is somehow less when you're in those situations. Guess what? It sure as hell isn't! We have to learn to accept others just as they are, forgive when it's necessary, live without judgement of ourselves and of those we are surrounded by.