The Highlight Reel vs. Real Life...

Most of my job revolves around social media. I’m constantly creating content across multiple channels - and I genuinely love what I do. I’ve always felt a little torn, though. On one hand, I see how damaging social media can be. On the other, I see how powerful and beautiful it can be, too.

The truth is, what we see online is often just the best 1% of someone’s day - the highlight reel. And because of that, it’s always been important to me to talk openly with my kids about both the good and the hard parts of my own life. Not just what I’m proud of, but also the mistakes I’ve made - sometimes big ones, sometimes small ones.

(You'd never know anything was wrong with that 21ish year old me in the photo.)

Because real life isn’t perfect.

We are human. We are messy. That’s the honest truth.

Now, with a teenage daughter on the verge of heading to college, I find myself thinking back to those years. I’m so excited for her - I can’t wait to watch her chase her dreams. But there’s also a quiet worry that lingers.

Will she feel comfortable in her own skin?
Will she be less influenced by others than I was?
Will she know her worth without needing to search for it in someone else?

Because for me, that longing - to be accepted, to belong - often led me down paths I wish I hadn’t taken.

In my early twenties, I experienced a major loss. And instead of processing it in a healthy way, I let it consume me. I spiraled. The road I went down brought both emotional and physical pain - some of which I’m still healing from today. Even now, there are moments where I struggle to forgive myself for not being stronger, for not making better choices.

The hardest part? No one really knew.

I was really good at smiling. Joking became a defense mechanism - if people were laughing, they weren't looking. Good at keeping my grades up. Good at looking like everything was fine. Good at hiding bags under my eyes and bruises. Inside, though, I was falling apart. My mom didn’t know. My closest friends didn’t know. I worked three jobs and I was, by all appearances, fine.

Some people shut down when they’re hurting. I did the opposite - I kept going. I kept performing. I kept pretending.

And now, as a parent, that thought is terrifying.

Will I be able to tell if my kids are hurting like that?
Or will they get really good at hiding it, too?

I don’t know the answer to that. And that uncertainty is one of the hardest parts of parenting.

But I do know this - I’m grateful every day for who they are becoming.

They’ve inherited so much of their dad’s strength. They’re more confident, more grounded, less concerned with what others think, and more focused on who they’re becoming. And that gives me hope.

What’s something you wish people could see beyond your “highlight reel”?