I’ve been filming a lot lately.
This isn’t necessarily new, but what’s different now is that I’ve been editing and creating mini documentaries with the footage.
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot about myself, my persistence, and who I am at the core. It’s an adventure I’d encourage everyone to embark on in their own way.
If that sounds like something for you, then let me tell you a story.
Why I Started Documenting My Life
Everywhere you look, everything’s curated and perfectly put together, with no room for mistakes or genuine, real-life moments.
Instagram tells you that if you don’t have the best lighting or the trendiest clothes, you might as well stay home—but social media isn’t real life.
The endless parade of perfection we see everyday creates feelings of inadequacy and takes a huge toll on our self-esteem.
If you don’t have a strong sense of self, you’ll quickly start doubting yourself and falling for the schemes of those who claim you should look and be a certain way.
I was watching Evil, a Netflix series, a few weeks ago, and there was a storyline about an influencer that really caught my attention.
She was encouraging young girls to wear plastic wrap around their legs to stop the swishing sound that naturally occurs. She made it seem like it was the worst thing that could possibly happen to a woman.
Unfortunately, there was a little girl taking her advice, hanging on to every word and doing everything she recommended.
I understand that it’s just a show, but art imitates life.
There’s plenty of toxic advice and inauthentic moments out there, being passed off as everyday reality. But in truth, they’re so far from real they might as well exist in outer space.
This realization was one of the driving forces behind my focus on documenting everyday life for exactly what it is.
I’ve made videos and told stories about what happened during the day, but they’ve always been rooted in the magic of unfiltered, unscripted life.
I realized recently that this is the core of my video creation. I’m calling it a documentary because I’m not writing scripts or re-filming scenes 5 to 10 times to get the lighting or lines right.
That’s probably why I stopped turning my blog articles into videos—they just didn’t have that raw, genuine quality of real life I love.
The Beauty of Unfiltered Moments
Capturing a moment and revisiting it later is a powerful experience. It’s great for self-reflection and, I believe, for memory health.
Sometimes I review footage I forgot I’d captured, and while watching them, I become the spectator instead of the subject. This switch in perspective allows me to analyze situations for what they truly are, without the blinders of emotion.
I often wonder why I chose to record certain moments—what was so significant about that particular time that I thought I should capture it?
The answer always varies. Half the time, I’ll never know what the deeper reason was but the act of wanting to know the reason made me think deeper about that situation i’m reviewing, and maybe that’s the true purpose of it.
The unexpected and genuine moments allow us to appreciate life for what it truly is – imperfect and unpredictable.
How Documenting Changes Your View of Everyday Life
One of my favorite things to do is observe people. Most people think I’m quiet because of this, but honestly, I’m just fascinated by what people do.
One thing that always stands out to me is when people start talking about what they’ve done, how they used to do something eons ago and how great it was a few years ago.
This constant dwelling on the past has blinded them so much that they don’t realize they’re not living in the present moment or planning for a better future. They choose to tell you about the glory days instead of making right now a glory moment.
Documenting your life will drastically change this habit if it is one that you possess.
You’re forced to live in the moment and really pay attention to what’s happening right now so you can consciously choose what you want your future to look like.
You become the active main player in your life, instead of just a bystander waiting for the inevitable to happen.
Challenges of Filming Real Life and Staying True to It
Like I mentioned earlier, everything is perfectly curated, which means that the urge to redo, reshoot, and edit out all the imperfections is ingrained in us.
The drive for perfection is always present, and that’s the biggest battle you’ll face.
We see it all over social media because “the algorithm” chooses to only show the polished moments. That’s one reason TikTok became so popular—people were tired of the curated feeds and craved the real.
The honest reality is that people actually gravitate more toward authenticity than fake perfection.
The fascination with fantasy will also always be present but it’s the authentic moments that will cause a significant impact enough to leave a lasting impact.
It’s easy to get carried away, fixing, tweaking and curating and yes sometimes that’s necessary, but if life was always perfectly curated, everything would be boring.
How It’s Impacted Me
The realization that I finally recognize the journey I’ve been on is truly mind blowing.
Every piece is coming together to create the bigger picture of life’s beautiful imperfections.
I’m fully embracing each moment for what it is—the unkempt and the polished, the mistakes and the achievements, the energetic and the moody. They all make up the unique and wonderful experience of life.
It truly feels like it has taken me years to fully accept every part of the whole but it’s never too late to embrace authenticity.
It feels like it’s taken me years to fully accept every part of the whole, but it’s never too late to embrace authenticity.
The first lesson I learned that I think started this journey was this:
I will not diminish myself to fit another person’s perspective.
This, I believe, was what started my slow journey to where I am now, which is:
I don’t care if someone doesn’t like my music, art, videos, or writing. I’m proud that I had the courage to stay creative, even when the world tried to take it away from me.
An Encouragement
Change is a choice you have to be willing to make and stick with.
If you’ve been wanting to start documenting your life—through writing, photos, videos, or art—you’re the only one talking yourself out of it.
You do have the time to do exactly what you want.
Make the choice that puts your fulfillment first. When you’re happy with your life, that happiness is contagious. Before you know it, you’ll be inspiring others to follow their dreams.
Life should be filled with joy. You should wake up every single day and look forward to a wonderful unpredictable day. Yes, there has to be balance so some days will not be as fulfilling and wonderful as others, but that day is still worth celebrating.
If you’re interested to see the videos I’ve been creating, here’s a link to my Youtube channel. And if you like what you see, please subscribe.
One quick thing before you go, how will you be documenting your life?
Please share in the comments below.
How do I start documenting my life?
However you choose to capture your thoughts and the day you’re having is the way to start. You can journal, photograph, film, draw, illustrate or even scrapbook – the possibilities are endless.
How do I find the time to document my life?
This is where the magic of documenting instead of “creating” comes into play. If you turn on your camera or jot down what you’re doing in the moment, you’re documenting while you’re doing. It might take you a little longer to finish but you’re doing both simultaneously.
What if my life isn’t exciting enough to document?
Your life isn’t exciting to you because you’re not paying attention to what you’re truly doing. You’re just floating through life existing without truly living. Everyone’s life is exciting and interesting. Think about all the stories you’ve told friends or family—if your life wasn’t exciting, those stories wouldn’t exist.
Do I need expensive equipment to document my life?
You have everything you need to start right now. The lure of more expensive and complicated equipment will always be there, you just have to ignore it because the more you do something the better at it you’ll become. If you draw, you have a sketchbook and pencil lying around somewhere, dust it off and start using it.
What if I don’t have a creative outlet like writing or photography?
You have a phone with a camera that records video, you do not need to be creative to press record to document what you’re doing.
Can I still live in the moment while documenting my life?
Think of documenting as “set it and forget it.” You’re living in the moment while capturing it, not creating something that isn’t already actively and genuinely happening.
Will people judge me for sharing unfiltered moments?
The people who will judge you are the ones who are not doing anything with their lives. Those who’ve been through the stage you’re about to start will have nothing but encouragement to share with you to keep you going. It’s your choice who you choose to listen to.
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