#RealMeHoliday2018

Can you believe the holidays for 2018 are here? It is almost the end of the year and many of us begin to reflect on what I did, what I didn’t do, what I hoped to accomplish, and looking forward to a new year. That in itself can be overwhelming! Along with the pressure of the holidays, families, and expectations it can be a time for feeling exhausted and as I say, in lack. Depression is at its highest and it is not surprising as to why.

On a recent radio interview with host Michelle Menendez in Seattle, we talked about how social media has created the comparison explosion and competition cycle especially at the holidays. Is your holiday as fabulous and perfect as mine? We surf Pinterest and picture perfect blogs for bigger and better ways to show my holiday family, table, food, and outfits and post them for all to see. There are even those people that go to model homes and have pictures taken in front of tables and kitchens or even a fireplace laden with greenery and ornamentation and share it out as there own. Why do we engage in such outrageous measures? Is it to focus on what we don’t have or wish we did? Or is it about the childhood saying of “mine is bigger than yours”?

Photos of family in perfection and angelic poses when really they just finished dumping the dressing and gravy on the floor and mom is overwhelmed with her children’s behavior in front of Grandma and Grandpa. But no one will know from the photo. Are you guilty of this? What do you post to show to others in your social media feed of the perfection of the holidays? Do you post any real photos of you preparing that meal or how the cat knocked over the tree and the rolls were burned in the oven?

In my conversation with Michelle and her listeners in Seattle, we shared how comparison and competition can lead to depression, further fatigue, and even anger outbursts with others online according to recent research. We challenged YOU, as our followers, to share just ONE photo with a story this holiday season with the hashtag #realmeholiday2018 and start a movement. You can still enjoy sharing out the fabulous photos and beautiful images, too, but be good to yourself with being REAL and give us one fun example. We will do the same.

Be blessed and have a happy, healthy, and amazing holiday season!

Lori