The opposite of Instagram

One night I couldn’t sleep so I decided to scroll through Instagram and for some reason I came across a lot of couples; various pictures of people and their partners and I thought to myself “how are these people to each other when not on Instagram?” Everyone is well made up (even some men), looking beautiful and dapper, all fresh skinned and flawless but what really goes on when the lights and props are down and out, crew members have gone home and it is just 2 of them?

It led me to think about partners who never completely ‘show’ themselves while dating. I had a friend years ago whose man friend never saw her without makeup!! In my opinion, that is just too much pressure. Besides physical appearance, what true traits do we display? Have you or your partner ever done something months after being together and the reaction is “I am dead! What have I got myself into?” One funny example I have is a friend who didn’t know her then boyfriend had OCD as he lived in a different town and was in for a rude awakening when she stayed over for a few days, she actually confessed to questioning her own cleanliness.

I respect process and how somethings may require time to rear their heads however we should also be honest and admit that we hold back sometimes and live life as if there are always paparazzi at every corner, even inside our houses oh!

I thought about a few things that ‘regular’ people deal with and there is no filter to conceal these matters. I also asked friends who are dating or married;

o   A Female trying to get rid of facial hair – trust me the struggle to get rid of a moustache or under chin hair is real for some of my kind

o   Getting rid of hair in other places you do not want them.

o   Please know that there is no pretty way to bath or shave; all those soap and razor adverts are liars

o   Dealing with unpleasant breath; and not just bad morning breath but that end of the day thing when your partner kisses you after eating all the food in the world.

o   Fart – you may ask is this even a thing to hold back? For some people, yes it is.

o   Eating when you are ridiculously hungry – so years ago I had a crush on a guy and then I saw him eat (guzzle a bowl of food) when he was really hungry! *closes eyes for effects*........ Let’s just leave it.

o   How you behave when you are really hungry and food doesn’t come quick enough; ever seen the meme of a dog looking shame faced with the caption “I am sorry for all I said when I was hungry”? It is not a joke; people are badly behaved when hungry

o   The look on your face when exercising (and out of breathe) or taking a dump

o   Trying to cover up things like stretch marks, cellulites, scars, uneven body parts, love handles and belly folds – please note that your partner also has at least 1 of these and it is NOT a bad thing

o   When your nose, armpit or privates itch – Please what is the neat way of handling this issue?

o   Drooling, talking in your sleep or snoring – this can be very ugly.

o   When you are broke or how you handle money

o   When you are ill – some people change personality and you start to wonder

o   When you are angry – some people are yet to learn how not to transfer aggression or separate events and people, so once their mood changes it is time to run for cover.

These are just a few of the things I could think of; please feel free to share your own ‘reality’ in your relationship.  

Make sure you see your partner on a bad or lazy day- in shorts, rumpled t-shirt, no makeup, unshaved and in an unpleasant situation. Seriously, some people look completely different when they are not all dressed up and arranged. It’s easy to call this being superficial but please be realistic; you have to be sure you are still attracted to the person without their beauty enhancing armour!

I think I talk too much

I do not mean being a chatter box and just disturbing everyone’s peace but I mean constantly saying what is on my mind or asking questions

And it has got me in trouble or being misunderstood.

I hate assumptions so if there is something in my head, I think it is only right that I ask or state it so I can have understanding and know how to act rather than sit down, thinking and guessing what the truth could be.

When I am stuck in this place of not being sure if I should say anything it completely unnerves me and I have no peace. And when I feel the peace I crave being threatened I recoil; from the person or the situation.

I realised this is normal with a lot of people; not willing to talk and just let things slide which I think is immature and frustrating. I used to hate confrontation but I see now that it wasn’t addressing people that worried me, it was being able to get my point or enquiry across clearly without being offensive or misinterpreted.

I was talking about this with a friend and I asked her if it was possible this was a problem peculiar to people of my nationality? Or were people that way all over the world? Not willing to talk and express their truth? So they send mixed signals or display various negative emotions without even being conscious and considerate of it.

I think it is weakness or laziness because when you get a vibe or you are unsure of what to do, it requires that you take the time to think objectively, honestly, to be sure of what you do not understand, how it makes you feel and also what you want so that your questions and conversation will bring you the answers and clarity you desire and by effect peace in your relationships.

While I typed this post, I took a break to scroll through Instagram and I found a quote by Alicia Keys talking about how she no longer wants to cover up who she truly is; so maybe that is my same dilemma, maybe I am too open and I expect same from people; there is no need to keep anyone guessing or confused, there is no gain in that!

I want to know where I stand; with friends, as I handle daily deliverables at home, at work, in my business dealings and even with my partner. If another person can give me answers then I will seek; I think it should be that simple so why do people prefer complicated?

I am not here to play

I have never been that person…

Even when I was young and I was allowed to play, I didn’t

I am not the girl you keep at the phone waiting for no reason just to receive your call.

I am not the girl who you say ‘A’ to and act out ‘B’

I am not the one you keep waiting.

You do not try to push butterflies down my throat, into my stomach and then make me vomit them.

I am not the one you keep guessing because you will be disappointed.

It may seem like I am playing along but I am watching silently while you teach me the art

So by the time another of your kind comes along, he doesn’t even need to speak before I know what he is made of.

I am not the girl whose love you awaken or trust you claim to want and then can’t handle it when I give you a preview.

I do not know in between; I swing between ‘I like you’ and ‘I have no regard for your existence’

This comes in varying degrees but never a perfect blend to accept your idiocy.

I have a low threshold for deceit regardless of who is trying to dish it out to me.

I do not hold a grudge if you genuinely have no interest in what I am about

But darling do not feel the need to hold on to my precious time just to massage your ego, you may end up hurt!

I am alone not lonely and I didn’t ask for your help!

I am awesome……a beautiful expression of the good in your life.

I am peace…….bringing calm, joy and a break from your chaos.

I am solid…….the unwavering solace you fall back to when you are in over your head.

I am magnificent……appealing, warming your senses, fanning your flames.

I am wisdom…..protecting your throne as King.

I am the armour bearer……covering your vulnerability, fighting your demons.

I am NOT the one to mess with, do not pervert my powers.

I will always flow with life yet do not feel the need to make the job of tending harder for he who is worthy.

I did not offer you anything, you came to seek and I convinced myself you were deserving of the gifts.

I am not your mother; you did not come to me as a child therefore I have no responsibility to nurse you.

I am willing to share but kindly grow up and earn these blessings; we do not cast pearls to swine or wear diamonds on children.

So get serious, MAN UP or piss off!!! Thank you very much.

Hold a hand (maybe worry about where it’s been later)

Being alone hurts, I don’t necessarily mean the absence of an intimate or marital relationship but being alone physically and emotionally and you know there is no one to pick up the phone and call because the people you know are too busy, they won’t be patient enough to understand or they just don’t care!

This is specifically real to those who have had to be the ‘strong one’ in almost all their relationships (with family, friends and partners); who on some days just NEED to be the ones at the receiving end of affection and encouragement but yet can’t get it; like the world forgets they are human and don’t feel the need to express or share emotion.

Besides the strong ones, there are people who genuinely have no one and in the midst of the crowd they are usually the life of the party; making people double over in rib cracking laughter but do you ever wonder what happens when the lights are out and they are alone in their room wondering if they would ever experience the gift of knowing at least one person cares about their existence and sees beyond the well mastered smile.

I’ve felt alone before (more times than I dare to recall) and I know what it’s like to not want to go home when you know the party/hang out is coming to an end, or when a new friendship is losing its initial excitement (because you once hoped this person may be the exception) or to even not just feel like praying because for once you feel the need to speak to a human being you can see and not the God who lives in your heart (no offence but you get what I’m saying).

I’ve never had answers to the questions that come up when I’m in this place of being alone and sometimes afraid but all I know is I often heal, maybe not wholly but at least enough not to be hopeless and believe I have to just get up and move on. I also try to ‘get over myself’ and focus on something or someone else (this isn’t always easy, believe!). And this brings me to the question…….how many of us really stop to think of the ‘real’ reason behind that friend’s text, ping or email? Or why that friend or brother is always the one who gives all the support, I mean who makes them believe in themselves or happy the way they make you?

It’s easy to fall into a comfortable pattern of receiving from family and friends but when do you give? Someone once said it’s not such a bad thing when people take you for granted because it means they trust you or you’re dependable but really there is only so much a human being can take (that is why we are not God, we don’t possess His infinite powers to be divinely strong every day and even God has feelings).

So stop for a minute and genuinely ask how someone is doing; and if they reach out to you 10-15 minutes to pay attention to them isn’t too much- it’s not always the money or great advice you offer that matters, sometimes the fact that you gave your time and allowed them express whatever they need to is enough. It involves sacrifice; hold back on your own needs for a second to hear what someone else is saying; a gentle touch on the shoulder or squeeze of the hand may be reassuring enough; smile at a friend even when your own day isn’t going so great because you may never know if your kind gesture would squash their thoughts of sadness and in extreme cases suicide.

Be the reason someone has hope and sincerely smiles………

When the Cup is full

I’ve learnt that no one can really tell you when it’s enough….

Regardless of how many family members, friends or foe try to change your heart about a situation, even one that’s life threatening, you’ve to make that decision all by yourself.

I’ve had people tell me to change different things about myself; how I talk, how I walk, who I choose as friends for a particular season, the way I wear my makeup or clothes, how I advertise my business etc but looking back I realized that every change I made, whether good or bad was because I got to the point where it was enough! I’d simply HAD IT!

Usually I had to suffer though, either someone hurt me or I lost a valuable thing before I got to the point of walking away. It would also be honest of me to note that there were times during my long walk away, that I almost looked back; this may not often be weakness it’s just that, good or bad, change is hard and totally severing ties that once bound you to something or someone is not the easiest of things to do.

Other times it may not be the walking away, it may just be the fact that you want to feel like you won. Especially if it’s a relationship (of any kind), you’d very much like to feel the satisfaction that the person (s) you’re walking away from is sad or regrets. However, if you would be honest, you know that is hardly the case, in fact when you run into the person, he/she may even look like their life is better and that hurts. Or you would stare at the phone and beg some telecommunication god that your new former friend should call only to experience the joy of having to ignore the call.

With time you’d see that the whole drama or desire to win is totally not worth the trouble; Let it go! You consciously got to the point of realizing you needed a change so just get up and go! It also requires conscious, consistent and sometimes physical efforts; being accountable to someone who would keep you on track, having a target/to- do list, not picking calls or replying mails, setting time-framed goals, whatever it takes just do it because you know you deserve the great rewards that accompany dedication to that change.

Beyond anything else, forgive yourself; which can be very hard but is the most liberating step of the whole process. Don’t dwell on the lost time or how you would have handled issues differently (sometimes you re-live scenarios in front of a mirror or imagine how intelligent and nonchalant you plan to sound if you ever run into the person, Lool); try not to worry about the gains you missed if you had set out on a different path, like how wealthy you may have been at this age if you didn’t spend so many years being afraid…..it’s never too late to make better choices. Believe me, if you can get over hurting and condemning yourself that is when you have truly won!