I’m pretty sure that title deserves a hashtag in front of it. I debated it — even tested it out — but it didn’t look as pretty (just being honest!), so I nixed it. See? The struggle IS real. If you’ve been reading for a while, you’ll notice I tend to ramble at the beginning of posts. If you’re new here, welcome, and I tend to ramble at the beginning of posts. But stick with me, I hope to make it worth your while! 

A few weeks ago, Rob and I were driving home from the beach and I was surfing through Instagram as he drove. I started ranting (nothing like an 18-hour road trip to bring out the best in you ;) ) about some news I received. I found out someone had some great news to share; joyous news that had been a long time coming. But it was something that, until that point, had only been discussed third hand. And I was angry because I knew how hard the struggle was to get to that point and yet, I was only allowed to participate in the celebration and not be there to support the long, hard suffering. I felt cheated… as much as I want to share in your triumphs, even more I want to support you through your hardships. 

I took a step back to think about how I was feeling and realized something. I do this myself. all. the. time. After all, just look at my blog. How many times have I been so lucky to share about my photography featured on a great wedding blog? But have you ever once seen a, “Hey, I got rejected again! Maybe next time!” post? Not once.

At the end of the day, it’s simply easier to share the good than the bad. The less hardships you put out there, the less real they feel. You bottle them up until you’re about to burst and then something great comes along and you can’t help but celebrate what you’ve been through. But you want to know a little secret? The thing about sharing the struggle is… that is what makes you human; that is what makes you real and relatable. Because the truth is, we are all dealing with it. We all have our own personal battles, whether it’s business or personal or financial or spiritual, we all are trying to work through something. And maybe opening up about these struggles is the best way through it because I’m willing to bet someone else has already had the same experience and is willing to share their advice, or at the least, tell you it’s going to be okay. 

Social media is a look at other peoples’ lives through rose colored glasses. But sometimes, say, on an 18-hour road trip, it’s easy to forget and get jealous and angry. It’s human nature. It’s something we have to consciously fight and it can be a battle for some. But if you can take those feelings and find a way to better yourself from it, then maybe it’s not so bad, right? Right. So my goal for the rest of 2015 is to start sharing everything; the good AND the bad — please hold me to it. 

And because every post needs a picture… how cute are these baby birds!? I watched them grow from eggs in our bush!