Living For Yourself, Decades On

Can you believe this is really hard to do? To wake up and choose you. To choose what fulfills you and makes you happy not just for others. 

Decades ago it never would have been a problem. Or would it? Years ago in a world where women would “stay at home” and men went to work. Living for a man and for a man's needs, cooking, cleaning and making sure your husband is happy. But then again as we have evolved and women have rights to work and be independent. Their sole purpose isn't for a man or to bear children, it has become a choice. With this it brings so much focus on trying to become an empowering woman but also we forget to do things that fulfill us or even to switch off.

In a world full of social media it can be hard to decipher: what I am doing to live or to show? With so many screens we can manipulate how and what people think about us. We can come across as chaotic or clean as we like. Our personalities and vibe can depend on how we present ourselves online. 

We all love an Instagram post sharing loved ones and the places we visit but after so long it becomes an addiction.  Turning into every meal we eat, every place we walk and the list goes on. Essentially everything we do is shared online for some of us that use it.

These two both link with the world of the internet and real life. We can lose sight of what is in front of us and miss the good parts. I always see the saying that the people you are closest to never seem to have many photographs with and I agree. The things you enjoy the most are displayed online either because you are so engrossed within it. But on the other hand with the busy schedules this can also be lost too. Making conscious decisions to have that hour a day to colour, read or move our bodies. 

Being with people too, who you have a great time with can lead to forgetting about having your phone around and making certain memories look good. This isn't to say those photos or even videos I have taken I wasn’t there in the present or missed anything but every now and then I have to check in with myself and think: who am i posting this for? It can become an obsession very easily. 

It is freeing making choices to do things with or without others that make you happy. Being totally consumed with life and everything around you. As they say it is always good to check in and romanticise your life. See the tiny details and make changes that make the every day chores exciting. Most of all stop rushing and slow down. 

It is a very strange concept as my grandparents would not live their life any different even now. It is great that we can capture moments but having the confidence that we truly felt something while we were there and did something we wanted to within a time of your own choice. To not impress people who probably aren't even that bothered in the first place.

Remember to stop and just think for one moment whether that is driving home, running to a meeting, what am I going to do today for myself. One thing.