Before Lincoln, I never thought twice about what I posted on social media. I was always a frequent user of many platforms, I loved sharing and I enjoyed seeing what friends were up to on a daily basis. Then Lincoln came and I started having these crazy ideas that my pictures had to be perfect.

Let me back up for a second. I follow a LOT of parents on social media, not just friends, but bloggers I relate to, parents in the city I live in- in hopes they’ll like my posts enough and want to become friends- complete and utter strangers. I see so many feeds that are aesthetically perfect. Clean lines, consistent colours, bright photos and adorably cute kids. It seems to hit me about once every two weeks, and I want to erase all my photos and just copy what they’re doing to ‘fit in’. I want my feed to look beautiful like theirs and I want my photos to look professionally captured. Whenever I take a photo now, I think “oh no, he’s not in the centre, it wasn’t on square, the light isn’t right, his outfit doesn’t match, the white bedsheets look yellow- and on and on.” I obsess over photos that don’t look perfect of my little guy. I look at fellow mommy or parent bloggers and actually get weird about how many instagram followers they have, and why I’m not connecting like they are. What am I doing wrong in this game of blogging? I write quite consistently, I’m super real about what is going on and I think my blog is relatable, but I’m missing something. And then finally the other day, it hit me.

I’m not missing ANYTHING. My pictures are PERFECT. My blog game is on FIRE.

I’ve got to get over this ridiculous obsession of comparing myself to everyone. I write for me, as I write this I can feel my stress level dwindling. I can tell when I need to write a blog because the post is completed in about 2 minutes. My pictures are perfect because they capture the moment, they capture the authentic realness that is my crazy life. And don’t get me wrong- I think all of your photos are authentic and perfect to you.

I know there are other parents who will relate to this, who want to order some awesome new clothes because you know you can take a picture of your babe in that sweet outfit, tag the clothing shop and just cross your fingers they comment on your picture, maybe, just maybe they repost it.

I know my friends are going to think “really- what a nut, you really think this way?” YES. and I know I’m not the only one. So let’s just stop judging ourselves on how many likes, how many comments, a repost or based on someone else’s’ profile. I love this social media thing because I truly feel like I can get to know someone through their photos- and that’s good enough for me.

With Love,

Chelsea