It’s tempting to believe that a creator’s work is only acknowledged if they have a seemingly charmed life. Beauty must only come from a place of perfection, right? At least that’s what I spent most of my life convinced of, anyways. For years, I would shame myself into believing that creative people were mirroring exactly what was going on in their lives. The white picket fence with the large and beautiful home and well-manicured lawn. A handsome husband who is independently wealthy and smart. The well-behaved children who never argue or put up a fight when bedtime rolls around. And let’s not forget, the wife who runs it all. She has a perfect body, is a gourmet chef, is always patient, never yells at her kids, and seems to be able to seamlessly juggle a thousand different commitments at once without breaking a sweat or getting stressed out.
Social Media, television, magazines, blogs, and even books, have the potential to wreak havoc if not used in the proper manner. At the risk of shattering one’s own mental health, physical health, finances, and relationships, people will go to great lengths to emulate what they see from their favorite influencer. I’m not here to shame though. I am guilty of this, as well as almost everyone else on this planet. We compare. We strive to be something that we were not created to be. All in the name of love and approval. We trade what is real and genuine and true, for what gets the most likes on Instagram. Our entire self-worth can be mostly dictated by the desire for recognition and success.
I am here to tell you that I do not have a perfect life. However, I was born a creator and I seek after beauty. The kind of beauty that takes my breath away. But don’t be mistaken, not all beauty is extravagant and flashy. Sometimes you have to look for it in the most unexpected places.
This blog is not about showing off some deceitful display of a flawless life or home. It’s about helping you remember to strive for all that beauty has to offer. In my life, this form of expression has had the power to transform and heal my soul when I was in the darkest moments of despair. It’s about finding beauty in the brokenness. The co-existence of all that is sweet and sorrowful. Because in life, the good and the hard run parallel to each other.
