hey folks! hope you are having a lovely wednesday. a few weeks ago i posted a quote on twitter: “good reminder for us…nobody’s life portrayed on social networks is as good as it reads…live the life you’ve been given.” i definitely think the same is true for blogs….”nobody’s life portrayed on any blog (website, etc.) is as good as it reads.” i have written about this before but i will say it again….it is definitely hard to draw a line between being “artistic” and just simply portraying real life. it can be easy to post the “pretty” in life rather than some of the honest, not-so-pretty of life. sometimes i do stumble on other blogs and i am left wondering how people can afford such and such, dress up every day of the week, and the list goes on. i will be honest, sometimes i read blogs or come across pictures, etc. and can easily become discontent. this is already such a weakness of mine, but looking at different blogs or images totally feeds into this. for instance, if i’m reading a home design blog, i can personally become discontent with my own home. “why don’t we have a house with character?” or “i really need to go and buy a new coffee table…” or i might see an outfit on someone’s blog and think “i NEED that!” little things like this, really are not cool and hinder my walk with the Lord. not only that, but i’m just wasting time thinking that i’m being inspired when all in all, it’s just discontentment. so what do i do? i am learning to just not look at things that make me discontent….i cut off all of that and instead, do something useful with my time.
so why am i writing all of this? i just want to point out that reading a blog, someone’s facebook, whatever it may be is not all that you see of someone’s life. there is more than images and blogs and magazines and things that are “pretty.” you have a beautiful and unique life, a life of your own that you have been given. my mom sent me this link this morning and it’s definitely worth checking out. it’s about creating an authentically-inspired life in a pinterest world. i loved it! anywho, leland just woke up from his nap and i hear him crying upstairs so it’s time to get him. have a blessed day! much love.
Arielle,
Thank you so much for posting this. It is so easy to get caught up in “better-ing” your life, style, home, etc. that I forget to be original. I forget that it’s ok to not “have it altogether.” God made us all unique, and I have to keep remembering that ultimately, He is the only one that can better life. :)
Blessings,
Margaret
I complety agree that sometimes we do not portray our real selves on blogs, twitter, facebook etc. and that people can put up a complety different person on a screen compared to real life.
Thanks for this so much
Catherine
I really love this post!! To live the life that He has blessed me with is FAR better than living vicariously through someone else’s. Perspective is such a good thing!
P.S. I’ve been trying to figure out how to “hide” the number to my GFC log in, but I’ve had issues with it. Would you mind sharing how you did that??
Happy Wednesday :)
Thank you so much for this! I have been struggling with this ever since I started blogging and even though I know everything you just said, it’s still hard not thinking my house isn’t as pretty as that one or I NEED a certain camera and all that. This has reminded me..thanks!
Couldn’t have said it better. Sometimes I forget whats REALLY important and whats REAL…thanks for the reminder!
xoxo
Aarean
p.s. you should come check out my THEIT camera bag giveaway! I think you’d love it!
Couldn’t have said it better! Thanks for the very important reminder…life is beautiful! My life is beautiful! :-)
xoxo
Aarean
p.s. you should come enter my THEIT camera bag giveaway! I think you’d really like it!
um okay sorry about the DOUBLE comment…the first time I sent it, it said it didn’t work so I retyped my comment and then I realized it DID work…ha oh wow. sorry about that!
So good, so true. A great reminder– thank you! <3
Oh, how true this is. I constantly find myself wondering if I’m being discontented rather than inspired by blogs/websites. It’s hard! When you don’t know the whole story, it can seem like people have it all…actually, that’s what they want you to see. I’m sure there are plenty of people who have a “perfect” house, but whose marriage is unhappy, for example. It’s so hard to remind yourself of this. It’s crazy to think that everyone feels this way too. Reading your blog, I can even become jealous…you always dress super adorable and get to be a stay at home momma (which I would LOVE to be able to do, but it is not a possibility now). So, reading that YOU can become discontent by reading blogs puts things into perspective. Thank you for this reminder.
arielle,
i LOVE this post! it is so true and i often feel just like you! thanks for sharing that link.
xo
Tia
I couldn’t agree with you more on this. People only show what they want you to see, which of course is (for the most part) the ‘perfect’.
I know I struggled with reading people’s happy go lucky FB statuses which is one reason why I got rid of it. Being jealous of what they’re showing and becoming resentful in my heart over the things I don’t have control over and don’t have was taking a toll. Its still a weakness of mine, but posts like these are always great to have as a reminder to be content in the Lord and in all He’s given you because its most certainly more than someone else.
YES! i just wrote a blog about how i basically threw a tantrum the other day. it’s hard for me to look at beautiful blogs/twiter feeds/pinterest all day because it’s not REALITY!
This post is so true and real! I love your honesty! I will admit, I fall into the insecure and discontentment sometimes. Thanks for the reminder that these ‘worldly’ things shouldn’t affect our relationship with God :)
Good post, Arielle. I definitely struggle with this and am always asking myself if the person I am on my blog is actually who I am in real life, you know? I want to be true and authentic in every aspect and definitely don’t want to display something that makes me seem different than I am (good or bad). I appreciate your thoughtfulness on this. Thanks for being you!
Ohmygoodness, I struggle with this, too! Really, I think blogs are the new fashion magazines and they can (albeit unintentionally) do just as much harm. I stopped reading the ones that made me feel badly, and now I only subscribe to blogs that help me learn, see things in a new (more positive) way or bloggers I feel I have something in common with (mostly interest in crafts and love for the Lord). But I hope you know that you are talented and beautiful, and a daughter of the King! God bless!
Thanks for this post, it really encouraged me today! With all the media and stuff around us it can be hard to actually focus in on what is real. Thanks for the reminder to be thankful for what I have! I really am blessed so much even though my house is full of miss-matched furniture, my closet is small, and I’m a horrible cook. Hehe. Thanks for sharing this post today!!!
EXACTLY what I needed to read this morning. I’ve been so down this morning and I realize I was comparing myself to perceptions on blogs/facebook. I have 2 young boys. I clean and straighten up all day long but my house never seems put together like I see on people’s blogs. I’ve been wondering what is wrong with me. My husband also works late hrs and I was getting down that most people’s husbands seem to be home more. So thank you for putting everything in perspective. I feel so much better already. God knows the details of my life and His grace is sufficient.
So true. It’s easy to think that you need those things to make you happy, but then I look back through my own blog at all the “pretty” posts and realize that from the outside my life probably looks prettier than it really is too.
Thanks so much for posting this! It is hard not to get caught up in it all. My husband sometimes reminds me about television or movies that instead of spending hours watching others’ stories, we could be out living our own story. i think the same thing can be said of blogging. It’s a much needed reminder :) Thanks again!
so so so true! off to check out he link your mama sent you :)
This post is a picture (word?) perfect image of how I’ve been feeling lately! Sometimes I do get genuine inspiration and determination from looking at other blogs and sites…but, most of the time, it’s like walking into my favorite store and having no cash: I leave feeling more empty than I did before.
Arielle, This is a great, well-said reminder of something that I think a lot of us struggle with!
I’m going to share on my Facebook wall right now:) Thanks! -Audry Cece
this is a wonderful post. You are a beautiful writer and you are so right. This hit home for me and made me think about my own life. Thank you for sharing this, I think it will touch many.
You are so right :) Melissa, at inspired room, mentioned you on her facebook so I jumped over to read. You nailed it. I go through the same thing. Some days more than others…..depends on the time of month :) ha. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for writing with such honesty. It is so important to live your own life – and enjoy it!
Thank you for your beautiful post and your honesty! It is so helpful to hear when others feel the same way. It gives me a little sigh of relief that I’m not crazy ;-). Or maybe I am but at least I’m not alone in it!
And thank you so much for sharing the link to my post and ebook.
Melissa
This is so true and sometimes a hard thing to remember.
New follower from Casey’s page.
I love this! SO true. I’ve been wearing much less makeup since the end of December for a few reasons, one being that I want to believe that God made me beautiful just the way I am, but when I look at blogs of girls with perfectly done full face of makeup it makes me question myself. It’s hard, but knowing that we’re not alone helps us all get through the doubt and discontentment!
Wow, Thank you for posting. I am so thankful to God that I stumbled upon your blog. I’m encouraged every single time I stop by.
Thank you for your beautiful and honest post! I needed that reminder today [like many days].
My friend Kiri, from My Lovely Life told me to check out your blog because it reminded her of me. I came here, and the first post that I saw was exactly how I have been feeling this week. I just recently started blogging, and I have begun to see the “evil” in it. It causes me to compare myself to other people instead of just being myself. Thanks for this post. Your blog is such a breath of fresh air :)
This is so true and such a great reminder we all need!
I read a lot of blogs. And you’re right – if I’m not careful I can give them too much leverage against my own life. I do try to see the beauty & uniqueness of the life I lead, and I want to reflect gratitude for it, not discontentment from what my life doesn’t contain.
Thanks for the encouragement today! :)
this is absolutely beautiful! i have struggled with comparisons via social networking for many years now, and it is so important to remember to live YOUR life. wonderful words:)
this is SO convicting my friend.
so good. thank you for these words. Ive struggled with this myself a lot. i see peoples face book statuses about going on vacations and we cant afford to go on one because we’re paying off student loans and doing our best to get by with what we have and i feel so sad and discontent, as you said. this is so good to hear.
I ordered the beth morre book “90 days with jesus” and waiting for it to come in the mail. i’ve been thinking about taking that 90 days to get off of facebook and blogs and just spend that time with him to get back to basics, clear the clutter that media puts in my mind and give that time to him.
thank you!
Love this. I’ve been working through this same issue (pintrest and I have a love hate relationship :P) and I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the matter! Thank you for sharing! :)
Thanks for sharing this – I recently started blogging and I definitely want to keep the balance as I move forward :)
Thank you.
It’s comforting to know I am not the only one who reads and salivates… and a good reminder to shake it off and carry on with my own awesome-ness. :)
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