Is anyone else noticing a trend here? Is it just me or are all the “BEST” insta peeps rocking perfectly pictured feeds in perfectly pictured homes with perfectly pictured children in perfectly pictured clothes? Hello? My life isn’t perfect and neither is my Instagram feed.

Before I decided to start blogging I had considered myself an average social media user. I had a few loyal followers on Instagram and I would occasionally post random pictures of my family, friends, and I hate to say it, FOOD (don’t act like you haven’t done it). But I really had no idea or really any understanding of any of those fancy words like algorithms and hashtags. Heck I didn’t even know what a handle was. As my 16-year-old daughter says, “Ughh Mom, you have no idea what you are talking about” and as annoying as it is to admit, unfortunately, she’s probably right. Don’t get me wrong, I dabbled in Instagram and Twitter here and there. I’ve uploaded my fair share of dinner plates (don’t judge me, y’all did it to) but I never really committed to growing my accounts and all that stuff that goes with it. I hate to say it but my daughter is right and I really have no idea what I am doing.

So I decided that if I’m doing this than I’m all in, and I’m going to have to do some research. I wanted to understand at least as much as she did. So I did what every one else would do. I googled it. I googled and watched YouTube videos and got spammed by everyone under the sun. And can I be honest with you? I AM SURPRISED by the advice that is out there. It was honestly a bit disheartening. Things like “how to get a gorgeous Instagram feed like the pro’s”  and “creating stunning images to gain followers” popped up everywhere. Apparently the cool thing to do is to have perfectly pictured Instagram feeds with perfectly pictured pictures all put together perfectly and that my friend is how you achieve perfection.

It even sounds ridiculous to type. But I’m telling you, I crept around and it seems to be the socially acceptable method these days. And people are doing it. WHY??? Life isn’t like that. It’s not even close! It’s just not real and to be honest, what kind of message is that sending?

Don’t get me wrong and LISTEN to me when I say this. There are some beautiful women out there that have a natural ability for fashion and beauty and all things pretty. I believe that they are called to that and they are doing it well. The world needs them! It needs that beauty and I WANT to cheer them on and say you go girl! But the notion that we all have to have perfectly organized feeds with matching colors, expensive filters and a high-definition camera in order to achieve the status quo is wrong. We need to be who we are called to be. Women need to see other women being who they were created to be.

If you want to be an influencer then live the life YOU were called to live. Live a life of freedom and don’t stand for anything less. It’s a beautiful thing when you start to understand and appreciate your own uniqueness. When you start to feel comfortable in your own skin, and you let go of the weight that society has put on your shoulders.

I got pregnant in my teens and I felt so alone. The last thing I needed was perfection. What I needed to know was that I was doing a good job. That I was doing the best that I could, and that there were others out there just like me and that I would be okay. I needed to see (and still do) pictures and blog posts about real life everyday stuff, and to understand that what I was feeling and going through was NORMAL and that there were other out there like me. I already felt so badly about myself and my ability to care for a child in high school, and seeing perfection everywhere only made me feel worse.

I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t tempted to try to conform to the standards that society has set up for me. To feel sometimes that if I don’t do things the way others do I won’t succeed. But I have decided that I’m going to do this the way that I feel called to do it and I’m not going to compromise in any way. I don’t really know what that looks like right now. I am still trying to figure it out. But what I do know is that My Instagram feed won’t be perfect, and neither is my life.

If you’re looking for the pretty pictures and the perfectly put together life. Organized wardrobes and a pantry so clean you could leave the cupboard doors open when guests come, you won’t find it here. Although I really do need to organize that pantry… But I can promise you I will always keep it real. Dirty laundry and all.

Real life is happening here folks and although it’s not perfect, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s unfiltered and messy but it’s also full of love and, joy and there is an amazing community here  that I would love for you to become a part of.

Lots of Love,

Laila

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10