And Speaking Of... When Life Gets Messy (Literally!)

Last week, my car keys were flung into the dumpster outside our office, which made for an eventful Tuesday night and a very engaging Facebook post. I wanted to share how this happened and why it is an important reminder to be vulnerable and open about situations that throw you a curveball and don’t always go as planned.?

So how did this happen??

If you are a regular reader of my series, you know I returned from Rome late on Sunday, February 25th. I stepped into an intense work week paired with nonstop activities for my kids, and I was struggling with jet lag, feeling exhausted and running from meeting to meeting and task to task. I can honestly say I was running on fumes.

On Tuesday, I ordered a poke bowl delivered to me for lunch, but I didn’t finish, and I couldn’t leave the tuna in the office garbage overnight. Tuesdays are also the days I stay in the office late to wait for my daughter to finish her tutoring session that is around the corner. Luckily, I convinced Sandy Adcox Saburn to stay with me as we had many things to discuss.

When leaving the office, I took the garbage from the kitchen and walked out with Sandy. I walked to the opposite end of the parking lot and threw the garbage in the dumpster, and lo and behold, my keys flew in with the trash bag.

Whoops!

Sandy came to my rescue, and after assessing the situation and multiple attempts, we managed to get my keys. We belly laughed along the way, which I feel is important to mention. It was a hysterical and unbelievable yet completely believable moment, considering the exhausted state I was in leading up to that moment.?

Later that evening, I decided to make a vulnerable post about my dumpster incident, and it was met with tons of positive and empathetic comments. The reactions to my post were a necessary reminder that not every post I make needs to be perfectly curated, and I need to show the messy side of life on occasion.

Intellectually, I knew that, but emotionally, I felt I needed to be reminded that it's okay to share when things don’t work out. Life isn’t perfect. Life is messy, and the more we show a balanced view of what is happening beyond our curated posts to social media, the more relatable and authentic we become.?

There is a balance, and I am not suggesting bearing your soul on social media. In the spirit of vulnerability, there were some heavy life moments that I battled through with my family last year that never made it onto social media. I think too often people swing the pendulum too far in the oversharing side of social media and that is why there needs to be a balance.

A good rule of thumb is that if you are going through the thick of something and have not yet processed the emotions of it all, maybe don’t take to social media. Something as lighthearted as throwing your keys in a dumpster that is harmless and yet real is something good to share.

Life is messy (and in my case, literally), and embracing vulnerable moments is a way to deepen relationships and be honest with others and yourself.?

My life isn’t always about fancy hotels and unique destinations. I am currently staring down endless laundry, Sunday errands, and tons of household catch-up tasks. It is ok to share your day-to-day adventures that are normal and messy.

Keeping your posts real and not overly curated is my big takeaway from my dumpster share, and I hope I inspire you to consider the same balance for your posts as well.?

I welcome your thoughts on the above! Leave a comment below!?

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