Don’t waste more time.
With the popularity of self-care, personal growth and positivity movements, there is a consensus (and you’ll probably agree with me) that to be happy, you should do what makes you so, no matter what others say. Of course, it is not as easy as it sounds, otherwise there wouldn’t be a bazillion other posts like this one on the Internet. The truth is, social pressure is a real thing and it can hold you back in ways you would not even think about in your everyday life. Thus, it is why today I am here to tell you that you should always, always just do what you want. And fight for it!
Nothing lets your personality shine through more than doing what you like. Whether it is by doing a job you are passionate about and feel like it is worth getting up in the morning for, or finding the hobby that helps you unwind and makes you proud when you talk about it. Blogging is a particularly relevant activity for this: even though it is getting more and more common out there, blogging can still be stigmatised by some people, seen as stupid, useless, narcissistic, and so on. From raised eyebrows to comments on how superficial this whole hobby is, we’ve heard it all. How many bloggers like me have often decided to keep it a secret? I used to be very reluctant to talk about my blog and what I blogged about, mainly because of the negative ideas held by others who did not happen to enjoy blogging themselves. Well, thanks Karen, but I’m not a fan of aquabiking. Let me blog all I want. To each their own.
There are many social situations where we restrain ourselves from expressing what we really want to say or do. The first instinct, when you get into a group, is often to ‘go with the flow’ and adapt to the people you are interacting with. This can lead to a lot of frustration, especially if you would very much to express something about yourself that you think wouldn’t fit in at that moment. As an introvert, I have lived this too many times: not talking about something I love because it seems like it isn’t to the others’ taste, diminishing myself or giggling out of embarrassment when someone makes a comment that I do not agree with… Preventing myself from being me, basically.
Now, I think this is wrong. I should never be made to feel like I should not share about what makes me happy and what I love doing. I should surround myself with people who love me for all that makes me, me. People who understand and support me along the way. This is what friends and (valuable) family are for.
Because nothing will make you happier than doing what you want, no matter how silly other people may think it is. And for me, it sometimes mean posing for pictures in public places. People will look, people may think it’s weird, but it makes me happy, confident and fuels my creativity, so I will keep doing it as long as I want to. The most important thing is to keep yourself happy, fulfilled and let that fire burn. Listen to yourself, be bold, and do the things that makes you smile.
What is the one thing you love and will do no matter what?
Lots of love,
Julia x
