Hiding in the Mess

We have each arrived at this moment in time with our own individual versions of mess.

Your story may look different than mine in the details, but what I have found from research and years of seeking perfection and acceptance is that we all live in some kind of mess. And more often than not, we try to hide it and take care of it on our own. Why? Why do we do this?

I’m guilty of hiding my mess time and time again. Trying to clean it up and “fix” it. Make it look good from the outside. And can I tell you something? It’s exhausting. It’s pointless. And more than that, it alienates those around us who have their own messes. They can’t be vulnerable with us. They can’t be real. And as a result, we’re surrounded by people who don’t really know us—people we don’t really know, either. And our lives are void of deep connections, leaving us lonely, isolated, and ashamed.

In his book, Rejection, James R. Sherman says, “You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending.”

We can choose to accept and own our part of the messes we have made. We can confidently embrace who we are and who we were created to be without the constant voice of comparison telling us we aren’t good enough.

The most beautiful part of owning your mess is that when you do, you invite others to do the same.

That’s how community is built—through all our beautiful messes.