Recently I’m noticing a lot more folks embracing their awkward, goofy and maybe slightly odd selves… and I am HERE FOR IT! While there will always be those who think there is one way to do life, I’m finding more and more that people are embracing their authentic traits and it is so liberating and encouraging.
People get a kick out of my family stories because they are a little off the wall. I always had the feeling that we weren’t as “wild” as perceived but that it just wasn’t talked about. The more social media has developed, the less alone I feel in being the weird family. Lately I’ve been exploring other blogs and social media platforms and have found other parents who have decided to be open and honest about their messy house, feeling like failures, dealing with anxiety while raising children and running a home and even accounts completely dedicated to weird stuff you find yourself saying when you have kids (check out my social media pages for my own personal parenting quotes too).
As I approach the last bit of my 30’s I’m finding that I care even less about what others may think than I used to. In my 20’s I was all “I’m hot shit, I don’t need your opinion. Down with the man!” etcetera and I THOUGHT I didn’t care but turns out I kind of did. I still felt a need to be “normal” or try to keep up so that people wouldn’t think I was failing. It started when my first was born, really. When you’re 17 years old and have a baby people judge you pretty hard. You feel like you have to overcompensate so no one will call CPS on you and it kind of just continues from there.
Some of my confidence may come from the fact that I’ve managed to get that first kid to his 20’s without any major issues. Even if I make a mistake with the little ones I can prove I’m not incompetent by flashing my oldest around like “SEE! I can do this, this one is pretty cool and still alive!”. I’m just kidding. Maybe.
Perhaps I’m just in a point in my child rearing years where the are no more infants and breastfeeding and toddler chasing and “DON’T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH!”… Nope, wait. I just said that last one. You know what I mean. After a hectic 20 years of having a very small human around at all times I am finally rediscovering myself. I’m embracing my brain that jumps around and thinks weird shit. It makes me laugh. Hell, it makes other people laugh and I LOVE to make people laugh. I’m rediscovering my creativity through yarn and embroidery floss and now writing. Books now fill all my horizonal surfaces and I actually have time to read them!
Investing in myself is giving me the confidence to try new things and meet new people. I’ve been discussing some collaboration with my BFF/most amazing photographer I know and have some excellent plans for this year including making a fool of myself trying new things and having her document it. More to come but I’m super excited.
My husband went out for snacks earlier and came home from the store with a Chia Pet that is a bust of Sophia from the Golden Girls. The other day I stood up and three matchbox cars fell out of my boobs and I had no idea they were there. Oliver took an injured ant and put it next to a dead bumble bee because he thought since they were both at a disadvantage they may like each other’s company. This is us. Man, do I love us.
Today I’ll leave off with this: Do things that make you happy. Find and surround yourself with people who help you with that. Be wild. Get a Chia Pet. Try a new thing that helps you be creative. Don’t keep matchbox cars in your boobs because it hurts when they hit your toes on the way down. Be kind.
I can totally attest to the Matchbox cars in your boobs! This is like a daily occurrence in my home 🙂
I sincerely don’t even notice it anymore 😂