Have you ever been to a restaurant where all the plates, silverware and coffee cups are mismatched? Some call it “shabby chic” or “country”.
I call it comfortable. I am pretty sure I have never had a bad meal at a place with mismatched dinnerware.
I was cleaning my kitchen one day and putting away all the clean coffee cups. I put the cute, floral matching cups on display in my cup rack.
All of the mismatched cups we had collected from vacations, garage sales or gifts from promotions all go up in the cabinet not to be seen by family and friends.
Funny thing about this is when company comes over, they open the cabinet and grab any mismatched coffee cup and help themselves (I wouldn’t have it any other way).
Aren’t we like that though? Do we close the cabinet on our comfortable, authentic self?
Do we just show the part of ourselves we want others to see and not the well worn parts of our personality?
I studied this subject of comparison last year with a great group of women with this great study: Comparison by Sandra Stanley.
What I find intriguing about the study is that there are over 500 women who have joined the Facebook group. This just shows me that we are so much alike with our feelings of inadequacy and fearful of judgment from other women. We are constantly comparing ourselves and are quite critical of one another.
It reminds me of a time when Hannah was in elementary school. I had joined the PTA and was excited to meet other mothers. If you think high school comparison is bad, PTA has that and so much more. I have never felt more uncomfortable than hearing the constant jabs at other mothers. These were grown women who were supposed to set an example for not only their children, but other children as well. I am sure not every PTA is like this (thankfully). I held my head high and tried not to join in with the “clique”. The goal to serve was just as strong for me and I didn’t want “them” to hold me back.
What I find sad is that I fear we will compare ourselves to one another all through adulthood.
Just for today, let’s show the world our authentic self. Give yourself grace. Be thankful for all that you are. Set an example for a young woman in your life. I know she struggles in a life of social media and peer pressure and television and magazines.
Just take time to just be you today! Drink from a mismatched coffee cup!
Love,
