Get real!

We live in an age of social norms, comparisons and filters. It is hard to decipher what is real from what is not. It is easy to think someone is living their best life when all you have to go off is their snippets of the highlight reels showcased with pretty filters and cheesy captions. It’s easy to forget that those snippets probably make up 5% (if that) of their every day life. This leaves many feeling unjustifiably inadequate.

Filters (in the literal sense of the word) are part of everyday social media. It would be an outright lie to say that I haven’t used them. They can cover up that horrendous pimple which is right on the tip of your nose, give you colour when you look like you are on deaths door from sleep deprivation or age you by 40 years (#Faceappchallenge) for the purpose of amusing your followers and scaring the shit out of your husband. This can be beneficial and in my view reasonably harmless if used in moderation.

However, I cannot say the same for filters in the liberal sense of the world (i.e. choosing content for your feed that does not reflect who you are or what you actually did that day). Don’t get me wrong, there is certainly a place for social media platforms in this ever growing technological world. I use them daily to document my life and create my blog. More often than not I enjoy using them. However, scrolling through what sometimes seems to be endless fake happiness on the daily leaves a bad taste in my mouth. In my opinion (unasked for I know), what people fail to show regularly enough are the real aspects of their lives. The unfiltered, raw and less than perfect parts which make you who you are.

I am making a conscious effort to keep my content as unfiltered and varied as possible. I love mum life and all of the amazing moments that come with it but I also want my blog to promote the real, the mundane and the ugly. I want to showcase motherhood in all of its shit storm glory because that is real life.

This was me a few weeks ago. I had nearly finished mowing the lawns which took three hours with a push mower (but that’s beside the point).

Unfortunately this photo doesn’t showcase all of my attire (unless you have outrageously long arms I cannot see how it is possible to fit your entire body and a lawnmower into one shot but your suggestions would be welcomed). I am sporting corduroy pants (I am not sure where these came from), gumboots coloured with paint spots (a constant reminder of renovation hell), a camouflaged (“camo”) raincoat (which has the benefit of hiding you from your husband in the garden when he is wanting you to help him bring the washing in) and an Alliance beanie which I took from the kitchen bench.

This is one of many standard go to outfits for anything remotely outdoors. Other items often featured are puffer vests, puffer jackets, thermal tights, thermal tops, thermal socks and other unsightly and unflattering pieces of material classed as clothing. This is me, living my every day mum life on the farm.

When I am inside the house you will generally see me sporting running tights, an over-sized jumper and odd farm socks. The only thing you will see featured on my mug is sometimes my reading glasses and/or the leftovers from Lottie’s morning tea. This is me, living my every day mum life.

Regardless of whether I am inside or outside, I don’t wear makeup anymore (even for visitors). I am an avid mum bun enthusiast with a love for all things scrunchy. If I have to wear my hair down because Lottie has played with and subsequently hidden my scrunchy, I am not opposed to restraining my teased mop with a beanie, leaving my profile looking like the Snapchat logo. This is me, living my every day mum life.

As fellow mums out there will know, we all have what I like to call “get real mum” moments (aka the moments that you wouldn’t read about). A psoonami that explodes onto your hand when you are in an important lawyer meeting while holding your baby (#realstory1) or showering the window and the passenger seated next to you on the plane with your breast milk courtesy of your distracted baby (#realstory2). You feel ashamed, embarrassed and ridden with guilt. These moments are to be laughed about and celebrated. They are real, they are natural, they are your life.

It is important to me that I keep it real. As Lottie’s role model, I need to remain true to myself and to her. I want her to grow up knowing the importance of being a confident young woman happy in her own skin without too much influence (to say no influence would be naive) from the filtered aspect of social media.

As a blogger, it is important to me that my mindset carries over to my followers. My goal is to create a community where mothers and mothers to be are proud of their real unedited selves and are brave enough to hold social filtering to account. As a newbie to this blogging game and with only a small following, I realise that this will take time and I’m willing to be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day right? In the meantime, these are the social media gurus that are my own real and raw inspiration:

1. The Unmumsy mum (https://www.instagram.com/theunmumsymum/) - Sarah is my favourite mum blogger. Her username says it all. She is everything but what social norms expect. Her content is based on honesty. It is refreshing, relatable and I find myself scrolling through her feed on just one of those days to feel like “I’m not the only one”.

2. House of White (https://www.instagram.com/houseofwhite_/) - Olivia is a modern Australian mum who puts the humour back into parenting. Her content regularly makes me laugh. Whatsmore, it has invaluable practical tips/ideas for fellow mums and a whole segment dedicated to supporting females to love themselves inside and out (#MoreThanMyBody).

3. Loving Ellie's Belly (https://www.instagram.com/lovingelliesbelly/) - She is not a mum yet but her content is as real as it comes. What you see is what you get and I love it. She doesn’t take herself too seriously. This makes for many LOL’s which is often just what the doctor ordered after a long day with a little one. She showcases all aspects of her her life to help motivate others to feel normal and confident in their own skin.

4. Simone Anderson (https://www.instagram.com/simone_anderson/) - Simone isn’t a mother yet either but I find myself drawn to her account because, well, everything about her is inspirational. Her journey, her message and her day to day life which is showcased regularly on her Instagram stories. I find that unlike many influencers she has actually walked the walk so can talk the talk.

Give them a follow if you don’t already. You can thank me later.