Not Waiting on Perfect

Perfection doesn't just discourage us... it quietly convinces us to stay silent when someone else might have needed our voice. We’ve all seen the social media posts: perfect family vacations, glowing smiles, color-coordinated outfits. And for a moment, we’ve paused to wonder what’s wrong with our life. But the real danger isn't just comparison. It's what those pictures quietly teach us to believe about who is "qualified" to speak.... and whether we are. It’s not that the pictures are fake, necessarily. Sometimes they capture a real moment. But what they don’t show is the chaos five minutes before, when someone refused to be in the picture, or the meltdown right after when someone else was hangry. (I know this is not just my experience!)

The real danger however isn’t just in the comparison, it’s also what flows from that. Those perfect pictures set us up to look for the perfect person to speak into our life as well. Have you ever thought you needed someone who had it all together - had all their ducks in a row - in order to learn anything from them? This makes finding a mentor or learning from others a whole lot more difficult.

Ducks in a Row ~ Highly Overrated!

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This would be a lot more realistic for most of us!

When we begin to look for that mentor wondering: “Who has it together enough to speak into my life? Who can I learn from?” this sneaky thinking leads to what can be the most paralyzing question of all … Do I need to get my own act together before I’m allowed to speak?

There are voices that would tell us that because we haven’t “arrived” we don’t have a place to share.

We scroll. We compare. We wait. And we stay quiet.

Unfortunately, this really narrows the field for authentic relationships or mentorship.

But here’s the truth: when we look for someone “perfect” to learn from, we're usually too intimidated to be real with them anyway. And let’s be even more honest, if someone’s life looks too perfect, they might not be showing us their whole story either.

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So now neither of us is being real. And nobody gets helped.

So let me go first.

My ducks? Not in a row. (More like the second picture if I'm being honest.)

My home? Not perfect. (I do tidy the spot the video camera is pointing to so it doesn't drive you crazy!)

How am I doing as a mom and grandmum? I care deeply about doing this well, and I'm still growing in it.

I’ve had times where I’ve handled things poorly in my marriage, with my kids, my friends, my work, my homeschooling. And I've also had to learn how to grow through situations that were far more complex than I ever expected.

But I’m showing up anyway. Because that is exactly what qualifies me (and you!) to share what I’m learning. I’ve learned the power and joy in embracing the mess and letting it shape me and grow me. No mess, no growth. No mess, no reason to learn or change. I’m so grateful for the mess. And I’m still learning.

This blog, these videos, this space. It’s not a platform for perfection. It’s a place to be real. I’ll share what I know and I’ll share what I’m still figuring out. Because if I wait until I “arrive,” I’ll never start. And someone might miss what they needed to hear, not because I had it all figured out, but because I was willing to show up in the middle of it.

What I share here comes from walking through real-life challenges, sifting through science and stories, and offering what actually helps.

So I hope this encourages you to do the same. Someone out there needs your honesty.

Your insight.

Your heart.

Not polished. Just present. Not perfect. Just real.

Let’s walk this out together.

If that sounds like the kind of space you need right now, I’d love for you to stick around.

Subscribe to my twice-monthly Healthy Made Easy Newsletter so you’ll be the first to know when new posts or videos are shared and hopefully get a lot of encouragement along the way. 

One small step toward great things together.

If you need a fun reminder that ducks in a row are highly overrated, check out our HME shirt inspired by this post. Wearable encouragement for real life.