For as many years as I can remember I was living a life with pretend “perfection.” To those on the outside it probably seemed like I was thriving. In reality I was struggling more each day to keep it all together. Everything was falling apart. I was falling apart.

Last September my world as I knew it came apart. The truth that our family was far from perfect and had actually been struggling horribly for a long time was exposed. The veil was lifted whether I wanted it to be or not.

Facing that reality was truly awful. I cried constantly. I couldn’t eat. I barely slept. I had no energy. I hated who I had become.

But then one day I realized there was true freedom that comes when you lift the veil. When you no longer have to pretend you have it all together it is much easier to be honest and to ask for help. And now I can honestly say I have more joy and more peace then I have had in years. I have more real friendships. I can admit that I’m really just a hot mess of a woman who is still actively grieving her little girl. I can admit that I’m broken and it is only through my relationship with Jesus that I have salvation.

There is such happiness and peace when you just stop pretending. Whether your marriage is happy and your kids are healthy or they aren’t it is okay to admit that your life looks different then it does in your social media highlight reel. Even if you lose some friends along the way, I can guarantee you will feel 1,000 percent better when you lift your veil. Striving for constant perfection isn’t real life. We are all a bit messy.

The Olivia Caldwell Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that raises money for pediatric cancer research. The foundation has given $155,000 to pediatric cancer research teams at Children’s Hospital Colorado and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in just three years and has now been nominated for “Organization Of The Year” by the Casper Area Chamber Of Commerce. You can learn more and donate by visiting www.oliviacaldwellfoundation.org.