I really liked the Things I’m Afraid to Tell You initiative that was spread around the blog-o-sphere by Jess from Make Under My Life and EZ from Creature Comforts. I think that it was a very positive way to deal with a major issue in the blogging realm. Instead of calling people out, a huge collection of bloggers took a step back, took a look at themselves, and did something POSITIVE to try to make a change within the blogging community.

There are some people in the blogging community who, on the other hand, are bringing up a very similar issue, but in not such a positive way.

The argument is that certain lifestyle bloggers always appear so perfect on their blogs that they make everyone else feel bad for not being so perfect. Although a little true, I think it’s also a little silly. Believe me, I have been known to bear some major insecurities for some really ridiculous reasons. Like one Christmas I bawled my eyes out because I couldn’t get the sugar cookies right. I literally thought I ruined Christmas. I can laugh about it now.

I guess there are some blogs that are meant to portray reality and some that are meant to be an escape from reality. Personally, I like the escape from reality blogs. I like seeing the pretty AFTER photos that inspire me to make the little corners of my life prettier. I don’t want to see massive piles of dirty laundry or the huge mess that was made while creating that pretty DIY – I can see all of that at my own place!

I know that those pretty lifestyle blogs aren’t 27/7 reality. I realize that bloggers clean their homes before a home tour. I do. I know that sometimes those bloggers occasionally wear 3 day old jeans and put their hair in a ponytail. I do. And I can’t criticize them for not portraying realistic body types to the public because (1) those are their real bodies and (2) if I want more realistic body types in blogland then I’d better start setting the example by sharing more photos of myself.

I’m not saying I never get caught up in the perfectness of it all. Sometimes I do feel like I don’t measure up. Sometimes I have unrealistic expectations of myself. But it’s one of those silly moments of insecurity that passes when I remember that blogs aren’t 100% real life. It’s not any particular blogger’s fault that I have those moments of insecurity because nobody has the power to make me feel bad about myself. Only I have that power.

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