Blog Entries/ May 13, 2022June 16, 2022

Performance Society – and why it’s Stupid!

Hi Dear Readers!

You may have arrived to this post from my post about Self Love, and to a certain extend I believe that those two are connected. Performance Society is not a new invention; money have for years on end been a big motivator. And having a society that is centred around it, no wonder people would disregard their wellbeing to achieve high status. When you think about performance society, sentences that repeat themselves are “You must exert yourself” or “You must go that extra mile on the job”, etc.. But Performance Society is old fashioned and stupid, and here is why.

Remember, since this post is written purely on personal experience and belief, only take what resonates with you from this post and leave the rest. You are on your own journey, and only you know what the best for yourself is.

Growing up in a Performance Society

Performance Society is not exclusive to the adult population. It has become standard practice to prepare children to eventually become apart of the life sucking hamster wheel. Even though I grew up in a wealthy country, I very quickly became apart of a scary statistic in Denmark. Almost every teenage girl had anxiety due to the pressure of needing a big friend group, excelling in school, have a parttime job, look their best all the time, etc.. My classroom resembled almost any other classroom in the outskirts of Denmark. The girls did well with the schoolwork, and the boys who weren’t academically gifted were mainly at the bottom of the barrel. From a very young age you were expected to figure out what job you wanted and then plan your life accordingly.

The thing is, everybody was, to my knowledge, very aware that this was happening, but either saw no issue with it or turned a blind eye to it. I suppose that could very much be due to feeling powerless, and not knowing what to do. They are aware that the people in charge will continue to ask more and more of us. They’ll make up all kinds of excuses that makes it seem like a good/necessary idea. And the thing is, that they will continue to ‘require’ more until we say stop. This ‘one’ recipe for a perfect life is factually fake.

I understand that most people does not have a high-end job. At least when looking at a world basis. But when children are exposed to the fact that there is only one proper way of life (studying, university, doctor etc.), it will tear them down if their strengths happen to lie outside the “norm”. Especially if their closest surrounding, ex: parents, are stuck in the same mindset, pushing their kids beyond their limits

Recipe for the Perfect Life

I have through most of my teens and up until recently had this idea, that I needed to go to university, get a good education, land a good job, etc.. You know, the ‘normal’ recipe to have a good life in today’s society. We constantly need to exert ourselves, do things more efficiently, faster and in less time. When people feel like they can’t or doesn’t want to fit into these expectations, they become alienized. When we as people don’t have a sense of belonging it can have. If we are in a constant state of feeling that we need to perform in every aspect of our lives all the time, we become anxious, stressed etc..

Think about it! The people who are doing the best in today’s world are the ones who are good enough at ignoring their own needs to meet the expectations of others. “Mom and Dad, I want to become an artist” “No, you will be attending law school or else you will lose in life. I’ve sensed that the general notion for doing this is “My parents didn’t have all of the possibilities that you have today. So, you better be grateful!

Basic human skills are not valued as much as a high degree anymore. If you want to become a psychologist, it is more important that you have a good grade in high level math, than having empathy, experience and being good with people. I really started to understand the value of a piece of paper when I started this blog. I had I lot I wanted to share with the world, particularly with other young adults. But I got the feeling that my personal experience with mental health and life in general, made me less credible compared to if I had a degree in say coaching.

Change Requires Courage

Instead of continuing trying to fit into what is really an illusion box, we need to start taking our lives into our own hands and shape it to what makes us happy. In the end it will result in us feeling a sense of purpose and give meaning to our lives. This is not an overnight switch; I mean we are no robots. But if we practice a little bit whenever we have the energy will create a lasting effect.

The most important thing is really that we try to live authentically. Instead of waiting for other people to make the chance you deem necessary, know that you actually have that power within yourself. Heck, it has taken me many years to consider that I have a say in my own life. It has taken a lot of healing for me to reach the point I’m at. But know that it is possible. I will do my bit by using my voice and share what is right for me on my platform. Have you considered your own possibilities?

Did you find this post interesting or useful? Please share it with your family and friends and give it a like. I appreciate it! Self Love – and Why You Should Practice it Everyday!