How I Let The Kardashians Mess With My Head {Day 21}

I’m not ashamed of the fact that I love the Kardashians. They make me laugh and most importantly, in all my shallow silliness, they make me feel sooo normal. My shopping trips to the Gap with my 40% off coupon seem like I am the cheapest, most frugal person compared to the kind of money they drop on designer brands as they cruise around LA. My 4 bedroom, 3 bath house is like a squatter’s hut if you placed it next to one of their perfectly decorated mansions in California. And my kids look like shabby little vagabonds compared to North and her little denim jumpsuits and diamond stud earrings.

At least my kids know how to accessorize!

After I watch an episode of their show, or spend time on Pinterest, or visit a friend’s brand-new custom built house, I start to let disappointment at my own life creep in because I am THAT affected by what I see. Look how shabby (not chic) my furniture is. These rooms could really use another coat of paint. New light fixtures would do wonders for my house. People probably think we are so poor because I dress my kids in hand-me-downs. I will make sure to put a big bow in Emmy’s hair so we look more ‘put together’ (or to distract from the huge spaghetti sauce stain on her shirt!)

So let me ask you dear reader, how satisfied are you with your life? With your home? With your clothing? With your stuff?

And if you answer is “not very” or you could instantly rattle off a long list of “if only I had…” then let’s talk; because the name of the game is perspective.

Where do your eyes go all day long? What are you taking in? Because this will greatly affect the state of your heart. I cannot be surprised if I am dissatisfied with my life after I spend 30 minutes a day watching a reality (NOT!) show, 20 minutes a day on Pinterest, 15 minutes scrolling the FB feed, 10 minutes on Instagram, and 5 minutes flipping through a catalog or magazine.

Looking at my own heart and all the ways I wish my life was better or different makes me feel a little woozy when I take my view off of myself, and place it with the other 99.99% of the world.

Last week I learned that every 10 minutes, 111 children die from hunger. Most of the world would LOVE to live in my outdated house. Many mama’s would do anything to be able to clothe their children with the options available to me each day.

I hesitate to bombard you with statistics (but they are there. and they are heartbreaking).

If you struggle in feeling content, practice the discipline of gratitude. For everything in your life you feel frustrated by, think of 10 things you are blessed with. Do this all day long and your heart will change, I promise-- because mine did.  And though I often wander back to my old ways and petty vanities, I am grateful for the taste of simplicity and contentment I have experienced over the last year.

This is what I am tackling this afternoon. And in doing so, I am thinking of these women in rural South Korea I read about last night who carry their entire family's laundry 2 miles to nearest stream, and use a baseball bat style contraption to beat their clothes clean in the water. For the Love! So I have shamed myself into feeling better about spending an hour folding all of this, while I drink my SuperSized Diet Coke I bought myself as a treat and listen to Pandora on my i-phone.

This is our guest room! Isn't is so inviting? The Hospitality Queen in action.

And how on Earth are you people having more kids? I truly feel like the litmus test for growing a family is not "Do you have the capacity to parent another kid" or "Are you and your spouse financially able to support more children" but rather: “Can you handle more laundry?” 

The answer in our house today is a clear and resounding: "NO!"