With constant pressure to live up to other people’s expectations, we are quick to forget the important things in life.
The rise of social media and constant connection to other people has made us now more than ever attuned to what society wants from us. We focus on how others look, how others act, and what others achieve and forget the important things in life.
Expectations placed on us from society make it difficult to remember what is truly meaningful. Some may not even realize what the important things in life are because they have been so focused on obtaining the attention and acceptance from society.
The importance of health
One of the most important things in life is our health. Not only do we need a healthy body, we need a healthy mind. It is the only way to feel truly fulfilled. Yet people are so quick to forgo their health when focussing on what society expects us to be.
Some crave weight loss, others crave social media recognition. Most of us are willing to take on abnormal levels of stress because we think it’s what we have to do to achieve. This all leads to an unhealthy mind, and probably an unhealthy body, too.
We have to prioritize our own health, it’s one of the most important things in life and we are the only ones who will look after it. No one has the power to take care of you, except you.
The meaningfulness of close relationships
With life so closely entangled with online reality, we lose sight of the people who are truly important to us. We may be connected through messages and tagged pictures, but we are no longer truly connecting. A lack of meaningful personal relationships in the real world can have tragic consequences.
Social isolation leads to loneliness and uncomfortability around others. Humans are social creatures and it’s highly unnatural for us to be so consumed by technology that we reduce our physical interactions.
Spend time with those close to you and don’t be afraid to branch out and meet new people in the real world. You don’t need a phone to really connect with others, and the more time you spend with close friends, the happier you will be.
Self-confidence is key
We are constantly bombarded with pictures of ‘perfect’ men and women. They have the best hair, the best bodies, and the best lives. Or at least, that’s what they let you think. We are all guilty of filtering our photos and only showing the shiny, happy parts of life.
However, one of the most important things in life is the bad parts. The bad parts are what create resilience and encourage self-confidence. Stop trying to cover up your differences, because it what makes you unique.
When we embrace who we are, it becomes so much easier to be ourselves. Self-acceptance is not an easy process, but by taking that journey, we learn who we really are. Everyone respects the person who clearly respects and loves themselves.
Knowledge is power
Being constantly on the go, we focus on where we are and what we’re doing right now. We lose sight of the bigger picture. We stop learning and growing because we feel as though we don’t have time. It is true what they say that knowledge is power.
Knowledge opens the doors to human understanding, job promotion, and generally feeling as though we have achieved something great. Try learning something new, whether it is something as complex or a language, or something as small as a new fact.
Whatever you learn, you will be glad you did. Knowledge always comes in handy.
Communication opens doors
People actually fall out of the practice of real-world communication because it is so easy with communication constantly being done through virtual channels. We are so used to instant messaging, emails, and texts that we find it incredibly difficult to have physical conversations, especially if we perceive those conversations to be difficult ones.
We have to get back into the habit of having real conversations. Physical communication is so important because it makes us more memorable to others and is much more fulfilling. You are much more likely to get a yes if you ask in person rather than sending an email.
We thrive when we have dreams
What do you want to do? What do you want to be? Who do you want to be? We thrive on goals. It gives us something to work for and a sense of fulfillment when we achieve something. Goals are among the most important things in life, but society is quick to make us forget them.
Society forces us to focus on the here and now rather than the future. We are constantly consuming meaningless content and distracted from the real world. Always set goals. When you meet your goals, set a new one.
Despite what society would have us believe, there is no restriction on what you can achieve. Fight for what you want and don’t be afraid to demand more. Society is quick to distract us, and it’s so easy when we spend so much time with technology.
We are constantly expected to conform to a societal image that breaking away feels both impossible and terrifying. We forget the important things in life, and these are the things we need to get back to.
References:
