The Pressure On Ourselves

 Sometimes it’s easy to post things on social media platforms such as birthday party pictures, holidays, weight loss achievements etc. I do it myself constantly. When I lived in London I posted pictures of everything I did. Why? To prove something. To prove I got where I was through hard work and determination. Not to mention giving something back to the people who tried (and failed) to make me miserable. I went to parties where I would get dressed up, take enough snaps to show everyone I was enjoying myself only to dart off two hours later to get into my pyjamas with my laptop and box sets for company. I was in a city where there was 9 million people with busy lives, all working round the clock just to pay rent on their overpriced homes and to make sure their cocktail on the roof of a City bar was instagrammed. But I am older now. Instead of having the family I thought I’d have, or saving to move back to London AGAIN, I’m now putting money away to go to New York. I plan on going to Paris in September (work permitting) and to get more tattoos. I am doing all this for me. I’ve nothing to prove to people anymore. I’m living for myself. 

Why do we give ourselves such a hard time? We do enough and don’t give ourselves enough credit. Even at Christmas when I see people uploading pics, it’s always of the gifts they have got or perhaps given. Is it to compete with others? Why in our society do we feel the need to conform with other people’s expectations? Just because you couldn’t afford the iPad or the PS5, you feel like you’ve let your kids down. Things can be tough. We can be so materialistic at times. Why can’t we just learn to enjoy the moment. What are you doing right now? What are you stressing about? Take half an hour. Listen to your body. Your mind. You’re not doing too bad. You’re doing great. Let yourself acknowledge that. Not others.