Stop Trying to Be Perfect

I have a secret to tell you...my house is a mess. And you know what else, I made Kraft Mac n Cheese for dinner last night.  And on top of all that, I couldn't drag my sorry butt out of bed with my 5:30am alarm to get in my long run for the day. So far I have avoided all social media this morning, but in a few minutes I will open up Instagram and see amazing pictures of what my neighbors made for dinner last night, there will be multiple posts showing runners with perfectly matched outfits out running 20 miles keeping a 7:30 min/mile pace, and after their run there will be a picture of them stretching inside their immaculate homes. 
So now what? Do I succumb to my fails and crawl into a hole? Nope. Not gonna happen. Instead I make some yummy pancakes for my 6 year old and plan out a run for later. A run that I will happily complete and not stress about all the numbers that go with it.

In today's world of social media it is so easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to everyone else. Comparing your imperfect being to the perfect beings that are posted all over Instagram and Facebook. 

I have regular conversations with my clients warning them to stop comparing themselves to everyone else. I have to remind my 40 year old client that sits behind the computer all day and has a life full of responsibilities that he is not 20 anymore and he can't expect to look like the 20 year old guys that spend hours at the gym and have metabolisms of 20 year olds. Instead he needs to feel good that he dragged his butt to the gym on a cold dark morning in order to get his workout done before work, because after work he needs to be home to help one with homework and shuttle another to basketball. I remind the mom of 5 that she doesn't have to come to the gym with makeup on and a perfectly matched Lulu Lemon outfit in order to feel good about the workout. Instead she needs to take some pride that she was able to fit in a run  between dropping the older three kids at school, dance class for the 3 year old, and a nap for the baby.

There is always someone that can keep a cleaner house, make the perfect gourmet dinner, or have the rock solid abs. Instead of wasting time trying to be like them I will embrace what I have. I will look around and see that my little one is now in the stage of opening and drawers and smile. I will be happy that my husband is helping me find time to fit in a run in the afternoon. I will take a moment to look around at my house, at my children, at my life and smile today.
 

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