Whether you’re an introvert, someone that finds it difficult to be constantly ‘on’ or struggles to know where exactly it is that you fit in, know that you’re not alone. Though many may not care to admit, in our opinion, it is resoundingly true that these are common hurdles many of us find difficult to navigate. And never are they more true than during the festive season when we collectively decide to add yet more pressure to the situation. It is not surprising that the temptation to conform is strong. We give in and follow along, even if it’s something that we don’t really want to do.
But it’s not just a seasonal thing, is it? If you took a moment to really consider it, we are sure there would be things you do that you’d much rather not. Or there’d be things you tell yourself you should be doing, or things you should want to be part of but aren’t, things that everyone else is doing and why aren’t I? At one time or another it’s a game we’ve all played, and, sadly, continue to play.
Life can truly feel like a play in the theatre sense of the word sometimes. Never have we lived in such a time where everything is a performance and, whether we choose to or not, we are all the players in a revolving show. It can feel like we are stuck in a loop of constant comparison, leaving few places where we can just ‘be’, few places where we can escape the dilemma of being perceived, few places to get away from deciding whether to follow or to go our own way.
But the most interesting part in all of this is that we actually can. Sure, it may feel uncomfortable at first, but we can decide how we socialise, who we socialise with, if we socialise at all. We don’t have to document every moment if we don’t want to, or share it on socials either. We can find joy in quieter moments, we can find joy within ourselves, we can find joy that exists without an audience to validate it.
In the busyness of this season, and as a reminder for life in general, remember to hold on to yourself. We do not need to do everything for the benefit of others or share every move we make. There are many things we can do simply for ourselves, because it is a piece of, and brings peace to, our inner world. Those small quieter moments of joy that are just for us. We can go our own way and it can be equally as, if not more than, brilliant and shiny and worthwhile and fulfilling, if we choose.
