“I would rather be messy and true than polished and fake.”
Perfection is a prison. We are taught to polish ourselves into something shiny and acceptable: say the right things, wear the right smile, post the right pictures, hold it all together so no one ever sees the cracks.
But here is the slap: polished is often just another word for fake.
When you polish away every flaw, you also polish away your humanity. You trade depth for appearances, truth for performance, connection for control. And it is exhausting — because keeping the mask in place requires more energy than actually living your life.
Messy, on the other hand, is alive. Messy is unfiltered laughter, tears that do not wait for privacy, conversations that do not follow the script. Messy is showing up in your rawness, knowing that your worth is not tied to how perfectly you present, but to how honestly you live.
Yes, being messy risks judgment. Some people will see your truth and call it “too much.” But the ones who matter? They will exhale a sigh of relief, because your authenticity gives them permission to drop their masks too.
So, the choice is yours: polished and fake, or messy and true. One wins surface approval. The other builds a life that actually feels like your own.
More Food For Thought:
Where in my life am I still polishing myself into something I am not?
How has chasing perfection kept me disconnected from truth?
What would it feel like to let myself be messy, raw, and real — without apology?
Perfection performs. Truth connects. Choose messy. Choose real.
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