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The Highlight Reel

 Recently, on one of my many Pinterest binges I came across a quote that stopped me in my tracks. It was simple, yet profound. Here it is.



     This got me thinking about all the insecurities that we are challenged with. The ones that are loud and clanging in our ears like a brass gong, or perhaps they are the ones that gently whisper not so nice nothings. Either way they are simply annoying.
     Here is Exhibit A: The insecurity that makes taking a compliment hard for us. The coworker who tells us that they like our new shirt, or shoes, or necklace, or whatever paraphernalia we were actually able to put together somewhat coherently while making the mad dash out of the house on our way to work while juggling three little love bugs and a dog. The dash that included using some choice words to the little loves who did not brush their teeth, or make their bed, or do what ever it was that you asked them fifty seven million times to do.
    We have a hard time accepting and digesting that compliment because when the shower curtain was pulled aside that morning we saw the stretch marks when we got out of the shower.  We don't see the sparkling spring color on our shirt that brings out the color of our eyes. We saw the bloodshot eyes that were far from sparkling.
    These are our 'behind-the-scenes' shots. The pictures that our mind captures. And let me tell you, the angle is NOT FLATTERING! These are the ones that if we were on reality television or on some cover of a grocery store tabloid, they would be VERY CLEAR AND BIG.
    If we were rich these would be the pictures that our publicists would make "Go Away" or we would be so wealthy that they would be so grainy from the paparazzi having to be so far away, that we could rationalize that those are not us.
   But the images in the 'behind-the-scene-reel', we see them. We see them clearly.They flash in our eyes and replay in our minds when the nice comments and compliments come raining down on us from kind and loving people in our lives, or even perhaps perfect strangers.
     The problem is, we forget that while we are replaying OUR 'behind the scene' shots, there are so many of our sisters out there who are watching OUR 'highlight reel'. It is a vicious cycle. We look at them and think, WOW! How I would love to be them, or live there, or be so damn Pinteresty, or what ever other irrational thoughts that come our way. Because believe me, we all drive on the irrational highway. Some of us just take longer trips and keep missing the exit ramps.
    And the whole time we are driving around, our sisters are looking at us and wishing they were more like US! I know, it is simply crazy! Because if they saw our behind the scenes shots, they too would say, "Wait a minute, I got this covered at my house! I wanted the highlight reel! This same movie is showing at my house too!"
    So sisters, here is what we need to do. We need to simply thank them. Those kind souls who see us in our best light, best filter, best everything. We thank them and tell them we are adding it to our "highlight reel". They help us to see what other people see and what we need to see more often. We got this. We really do! We are better at most things than we give ourselves credit.  And on the days we struggle, we just need to stop at the closest exit, get a Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Latte because in this house coffee equals love, and who couldn't use giving themselves a little more love.

On the drive with you---
K
   

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