Times are Tough...
But We Always Have Each Other.
Hello Lovelies,
This is not the post I planned on writing. In fact, I was not planning on posting at all today. If the title of this post didn’t give it away, things have been kind of rough lately. We found out 2 weeks ago that we have to move out of our apartment by March 31st, housing costs are INSANELY HIGH & the job market is HORRIBLE.
I am 22 years old, I have a University Degree & TONS of work experience. I have the most caring and supportive family, friends, and boyfriend. I work hard to stay positive and motivated to work towards my goals everyday, yet for some reason it never seems to be enough. According to societal standards, I should have started my career (after only being out of school for 9 months), be getting married. buying a house and having kids all within the next few years…
EXCUSE ME? Hello, world? Hi, yes, uhm… do you understand how crippling student debt is? Do you realize how suffocatingly competitive the job market is? HOW IN THE HELL do you expect me to be able to buy a house and pay for a fancy white wedding when I literally cannot afford to buy groceries, let alone pay off the hundreds of dollars per month that I owe to OSAP. So again, I say to society…
EXCUSE ME? NO.
While it seems IMPOSSIBLE to ignore all of the pressures to have my life together right now, the one constant I have is the extreme gratitude towards the people in my life who help lessen the burden on my shoulders. Who help to hold me together when I feel like I am falling apart into a million pieces every day. And it is in those moments, when I feel hopeless; as if nothing will ever be okay again, that I stop myself. Don’t be mistaken, I DO NOT always have the self-control to look on the bright side and stop myself from spiralling deeper into the darkness, I am human. But sometimes I can stop myself enough to step back and look at all of the light that I DO have in my life. Sometimes it is one tiny moment, sharing a laugh with a loved one, seeing the person you care most about in the world smile, that can wash away all of the darkness consuming my mind.
No matter how tough the times may seem, it is so important (for your mental, emotional and physical well-being) to have gratitude for the positives in your life. It may seem impossible at times. But I promise you this: the tiniest moment of gratitude can get you through days of sorrow and anxiety. Sure, it may seem like my life could not get any worse at times, but the reality is that everyone is dealing with something. If we constantly focus on the bad then we will never experience joy or love. There is so much to be thankful for in this life, despite moments of strife. Remind yourself that there is more to life than the expectations placed on you by society. There is love and relationships with the people in your lives and that is far more important than any job, house or consumer object.
So excuse me for being blunt but SCREW YOU SOCIETY. I will be happy with the life I have. I will deal with the obstacles you throw at me as they come and I will be better for it in the end. I will allow myself to feel happiness and love despite not having the life you think I should have. And YOU SHOULD TOO. Life really is too short to dwell on the dark.
Anyways… that is enough of a rant for one night. If you have ever felt this way then comment below with your story. How do you cope with societal pressure? Share your tips with the rest of the Content by Kristyn family!
Yours HAPPILY,
Kristyn xo