Articles

Art

A Loud Minority

Leave a Comment / Articles /

It’s often difficult to discuss anything related to gender, women’s rights and even using the word ‘feminism’ in particular. I understand that it shouldn’t be so divisive to talk about such things. At this point in time it should be a given that women’s rights, equality, freedom, justice, empowerment and security should be respected and promoted. The backlash that people and activists receive can be very destructive and invalidating. Often it does lead to the cause being made invisible and people being silenced and invalidated. Recently I attended a webinar, hosted by an international women’s rights foundation, on anti-gender movements. It’s a paradoxical feeling getting involved with anything related to women because I’m extremely interested and passionate about these issues but it’s such a painful topic to discuss; especially when hearing some of the entrenched negative beliefs about women and our rights. A number of activists from across eastern Europe shared their experiences and challenges of advocating for women’s rights and education. A significant theme across each panellist and the dialogue was the feeling of lack of support, burnout and pushback by loud people. The feeling of burnout is pretty common amongst many activists. Even when working in certain sectors where people are trying to enact positive change it can be a real challenge to understand if what you’re doing is even helping and if you stand alone in the fight. When advocating for women’s rights it can be painful to think how a loud minority can have such a detrimental impact. This can be true if the loud minority are the people in power and are at the forefront of decision making. However, when it is revealed that the loud minority are not representative the majority of the population it is reassuring to know that the fight for equality can still continue. From this it is important to recognise where advocacy can be directed. During the webinar one activist mentioned the importance of being proactive and not reactive. By this she meant that not necessarily trying to engage in an ongoing dialogue with people from a loud minority who have no chance of shifting their views, to a wider majority who can be more flexible and just need an enhanced insight into women’s and gender-related issues. I would like to think that when it comes to promoting women’s rights that it is a loud minority that is holding the movement back. Even though the webinar reflected on many disappointing responses to women’s rights activists and the challenges which follow, there was a beacon of hope. Some activists shared their thoughts on what needs to change in order to maintain the fight for women’s rights. One expressed the importance of creating a more global network of support, another said that in her experience often people see feminists and people who fight for women’s rights as strong, therefore in no need of support systems. The conversation continued to emphasise the importance of support and voices being heard. It’s when there’s silence, the feeling of abandonment and isolation that the fight for rights can burn people out.

A Loud Minority Read More »

The Crown

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I have watched The Crown on Netflix a number of times through and I’m looking forward to the release of season five in November 2022. I’m aware that The Crown is dramatised and not an accurate version of historical events, nor is it a genuine representation of the British royal family. I do take an interest in The Crown as initially it was highly recommended to me and then I was keen to see the depiction of Princess Diana. I know that there is a lot of social divide when it comes to royalty and attitudes towards the monarchy. I definitely understand the arguments that surround this topic. I’m not quite sure where I fit on the spectrum of being a royalist or not, but I certainly take an interest in it. Whilst watching The Crown I recognised that the show sheds some light on the role of the monarchy and reigning monarch more specifically. Previously I wasn’t as clear on how the royal family fits into government. I think it is interesting to see the role of The Queen in conversing with each prime minister to form a government in her name. With the platinum jubilee celebrations taking place over this week and into the weekend, it got me thinking a lot about people’s feelings towards the royals. I know that there can be protests and anti-monarchy displays around the world but I just don’t seem to see them as much as I do with the celebration for them. Even when there are these outpours of anger towards the royal family, it appears to die down or at least not receive as much coverage. When I watch any of the clips of jubilee celebrations on YouTube it appears to be nothing but adoration and applause. I have heard a lot about how the royal family is inherently important to so many people of Great Britain. I wonder how this concept has actually developed as so many royal families have collapsed yet the British royal family remains intact. The British royal family is also not immune to scandal or criticism so I find it interesting that the monarchy is able to remain. There have been numerous instances over just the past century which could have completely derailed the royal family. What I am intrigued in is how engrained the monarchy is in the people of Great Britain to avoid complete collapse. There is plenty of anti-monarchist sentiment out there as well as many people who simply just don’t see the point of having a royal family. I think The Crown draws attention to a lot of anti-monarchy attitudes as well as pro-monarchy. The shows explores the role of The Queen as a working and functioning part of government as well as displaying all the privileges that come along with being a part of the royal family. I am keen to see what the future holds for the British royal family and how it continues to function in a modern world.

The Crown Read More »

Our Roaring Twenties

Leave a Comment / Articles /

There is such an emphasis on youth and our twenties being the best time of our lives. Our twenties are meant to be filled with friends, dating, freedom from responsibility, partying and travelling. Even if this were true and that’s actually what happens it’s such a depressing thought having such a short period of our lives being dedicated to being the “best”. Then what happens after that, is it all just downhill from there? The concept feels so limiting and boring. In my reality my twenties have been a pretty rough time and generally underwhelming. I don’t think I’m alone in this experience. I remember watching a guy on YouTube who posted about what our twenties are really about. He mentions how lots of us are trying to figure out what we even want to do with our lives and recovering from childhood traumas. I got lucky with knowing what I wanted to do as a career and how to pursue it but I recognise that not everyone is so lucky; in fact most people don’t have it that easy in knowing what they want or how to purse it. As I near the end of my twenties I look over the past decade and realise how it has been filled with trying to get my foot in the door and establish myself in my career and predominantly healing from past traumas. My late teen years were filled with going out, dating and partying however that did die down pretty quickly. Reality kicked in where it was clear I needed to get moving on studying and creating my own career path. I also had to invest so much in mental health and wellness. The dating space was awkward and well below par. I feel as though when a lot of us are introduced to dating and relationships were are not sure what we want and the whole thing is such an odd experience, that many of us end up navigating a bit blindly. Throughout this time often we figure out a lot more about what we want, don’t want and what we won’t put up with. If my twenties was meant to be this liberating and enjoyable time then it has been a real disappointment. I’m in a position now where I live out of the family home, I’m settling in full time work and I’ve made some meaningful, close friendships. I have clear goals for the future, I know more about what type of people to surround myself with and I’m excited for the prospects of meaningful travel with where humanitarian work will take me. The possibilities for people having children, joy and fulfillment within a career or even travelling and celebrating when we are older, does this all become somehow unexciting and not as enjoyable? The pressure to enjoy our twenties as if it’s the only good time in our lives is limiting and wrong. There is joy and pain in every period of our lives and I think we should always be excited by that.

Our Roaring Twenties Read More »

Fishbowl

Leave a Comment / Articles /

Now it’s even harder to connect with people let alone maintain a connection. We live in a time and generation possessed by technology, phones and laptops, and we are hijacked by our social media presence that we are ignorant to the basic ability to interact with each other. I got rid of Facebook for a while. I wanted to have a period of my life where I was not connected to the virtual world where most socialising and connection unfortunately takes place. Previously online dating was seen as more taboo and for the retired or for people who were having trouble connecting. I found the online space for “dating” worse that the real world. Whilst it may be more appealing to some people as it clearly states who is available, what they’re looking for and what they’re interested in, the emotional walls are even more obvious. It’s like applying for a job. There is no social responsibility to respond or engage. You have to try so much harder and ultimately it ends up being a contest of who can pretend to appear cooler. People argue that the online platform is more “real” in a way because people are being their more authentic selves, however do we really want people to only be their true selves when there is a buffer, or when there are supposedly less consequences? The dating I have sparingly experienced over the past few years has been very screen oriented. I went out with someone I had met online and we had a really nice time. We met at a pub and had dinner, drinks and chatted for ages. We texted a little after that and later reconnected to have drinks again and then dinner the following week. After we had a lovely dinner I received a message from them telling me they wanted to make a move but they weren’t sure how I felt. I appreciated that but at the same time these types of conversations are better dealt with in person and we were just in person together. I understand that there is the possibility of rejection and as a result the normalisation of using texting as a method of popular communication has become favourable, but it is such a downward slope. We are currently in a state of social “crisis” where very few people know how to effectively communicate and engage with people in a healthy and coherent manner. Too many people can’t create sufficient conversation or make eye contact whilst passing by. Often people resort back to “safe spaces”, such as text messages or social media to communicate, creating a cushion for rejection; except what that does is make us more incapable of participating in important conversations and relationship maintenance. The online space has painted this illusion that we have ample opportunity and the luxury of plentiful people to sieve through. However, this concept has also generated a poor culture of perceiving people as disposable items where we don’t fix something or engage in conflict resolution, we just loop back to our online platforms to start again.

Fishbowl Read More »

ANZAC Day

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I recently attended the ‘Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War’ exhibition at Te Papa museum in Wellington, New Zealand. It was a very detailed, graphic and sensory exhibition. There were even giant sculptures of people crafted which had voice overs of stories being echoed. My sister and I noticed the detail in these sculptures, right down to the individual body hair embedded into them. The detail in this exhibition was prominent and something which we noticed throughout our journey. It was clear that a key goal of the exhibition was to transport people into the period of World War I and into experiences of soldiers. The specificity of the exhibition was what made it so important and had a real impact in informing, on what ANZAC’s really experienced and sacrificed. It’s important to maintain that level of awareness of history and understand atrocities in a way which does not induce lethargy. The connection of empathy over time, which I feel ANZAC DAY achieves, is incredible as often people experience emotional fatigue when remembering sad experiences and events. I think that within the world there is always so much going on with protracted conflicts and emerging crisis’ that a number of us mentally switch off to what’s going on. I don’t know the answer to maintaining healthy attention to world issues apart from finding a balance between sadness, grief and loss with joy, achievement and honour. I feel that many ANZAC Day ceremonies achieve this balance by commemorating people and showing support for peace; as well as expressing love and respect for all people who have served in war and conflict, who have now passed away. ANZAC Day is a public holiday for Australian’s and New Zealander’s, and a day which is celebrated and honoured by many. It is a good reminder to remember and honour people who have endured and sacrificed so much. The concept of not forgetting and trying to recreate experiences to share understanding is important. Ideally this should be a significant contributing factor in trying to avoid repeating history. There are some people who try to use ANZAC Day as a platform to advocate for remembering people who served in war in conjunction with lessons learned from war and conflict. The concept of ‘lessons learned’ is essential in every situation but especially in contexts like this. Too often through emotional fatigue do we then water down lessons learned from something or over time we forget or diminish the importance of what we have learned. In some instances we may forget completely and then repeat history or cycles of violence. I’ve always believed in remembering and giving time to reflect and honour experiences even the negative ones, as there is always so much to be learned from them. ANZAC Day has a strong association with not forgetting what people experienced in Gallipoli during World War I and more broadly across wars and conflicts. If anything can be taken from the day it should be to never forget and always remember what has been learned from history.

ANZAC Day Read More »

Preach Teacher

Leave a Comment / Articles /

There’s often a lack of appreciation when it comes to teachers and what they bring to people’s lives. There are many instances where teachers are abused, harassed or ignored by students, which I remember seeing all throughout school. Sometimes I would look at a teacher and see how drained and fed up they were. In hindsight I don’t know how many of the teachers from high school put up with some of the things which they did. It now makes sense as to why many were withdrawn and not as invested in the learning, teaching and guiding of their students. This is a shame as the role of a teacher is so important in people’s lives. It’s special when teachers come into students’ lives every now and then and really leave that lasting positive imprint. The value and impact of a passionate teacher can be lifechanging. I’ve been thinking back to the teachers which I’ve had over the years and a few come to mind, who genuinely supported me and who tried to help me when I couldn’t comprehend concepts as easily as other students. I wasn’t someone who was naturally academic and excelled in school. Especially in high school I hit a lot of roadblocks. I did try to seek out help from my teachers when it came to my senior years, but I often felt dismissed so I left it. I did develop a pretty poor attitude and didn’t invest as much in school as I should of. I gave up a bit and accepted it as just how it is. I understand that it must be tough to be a teacher and sometimes if a student comes to the teacher and they don’t know how to support them, then it can result in a bit of a stalemate with the student’s learning. I’ve found learning languages to be pretty challenging, more than most people. This year I started to learn Swedish which has been exciting and challenging. I have a teacher who has been incredibly supportive and who has never condemned me for not being able to understand things at the same pace as everyone else. My teacher has taken the time to repeat and explains things in other ways. This may sound basic but in many instances I have been told that I will understand and that will all be ok, which is lovely but not helpful. I am someone who does require more time and space to be able to ask questions and learn in a different way, for some subjects and areas of study. When I fell behind in French in high school I remember hardly completing one of my exams because I didn’t know anything. I tried learning independently but this was something which I really needed support with. The feeling of incompetence and not being able to move forward past a certain point with French was really crushing. I was hesitant when I started learning Swedish and when I experienced challenges my teacher provided such support and encouragement for how I was learning and for how I will improve. From this experience I’ve felt lots of hope and motivation to apply myself more and in different ways. The difference which having a passionate and willing teacher has made on my life to be able to pursue and learn new things for self-development has been profound. I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have the teacher I do.

Preach Teacher Read More »

A Crane for Ukraine

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I’m trying to think of a time when there wasn’t a dire humanitarian crisis around the world. I keep trying to reminisce on more peaceful times, even if they’re fiction. Perhaps that’s why many of us remember the past with such nostalgia and romanticise periods in history. Now we are experiencing the invasion and destruction of Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis which follows. At times I hear people echo the rhetoric that they care or want to help people but they don’t know what to do. I believe that even if people are unsure of how to help that support can still be shown in so many ways. When Ash Wednesday occurred, my workplace organised a large prayer to show our support with Ukraine. The feelings were shared of people who were grieving and wondering what action could be taken from abroad. What everything kept being brought back to was prayer. Even if people aren’t necessarily religious, prayer is something which has such a powerful effect on people and which drives many through such difficult times. I noticed that it is something which a number of people revert back to during tough and unpredictable periods. In instances of prayer often people will ask for guidance when being confronted with the unknowing. I do not necessarily have prayer to engage with in the same way as some other people. However, I have found that it is not always a religious symbol, place or practice which is required to find solace and guidance in. For Christmas one year my sister gave me a little box which has a glass ball in it and inside there is a paper crane. I remembered the story vaguely and was reminded of the beautiful story of Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was impacted by the atomic bombing in Japan during World War 2. When she fell ill she decided to make one thousand paper cranes, in hope that she would be granted one wish. Her wish was world peace, hope and recovery from her illness. The story of one thousand paper cranes today represent world peace and creating a more peaceful planet. I may not have the same religious faith to revert back to when bad things happen but I often refer back to this little crane on my desk. It really gives me hope of the power of symbols, people and how movements around the world can be generated through what are considered such small gestures at the time. When my father passed away I wasn’t sure what to say when giving a speech at his funeral. It was a very complicated time but in this instance I referred back to my crane; my symbol for hope. I found some peace and solace in this and decided to share the story of Sadako at his funeral. I ended with a quote from Sadako, in reference to her paper cranes she made; “I will write peace on your wings and you shall fly all over the world”. I continue to hear the outrage, fear and hopelessness of many people; not just within the charity sector but more broadly. People generally appear to be quite supportive of helping the people of Ukraine and finding ways to support them. I hope that this reaction towards Ukraine is a domino effect, like the paper cranes, with other humanitarian crisis and that people can support other people when there is need.

A Crane for Ukraine Read More »

Pride!

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I love the film ‘Pride’. It explores the interconnectedness and importance of advocating for all rights, in the context of sexual identity equality. The film has a strong foundation of people advocating for Lesbian and Gay rights in the 1980’s in conjunction with advocating for miners and workers rights. The theory behind this being that when advocating for rights you don’t just care about one set of rights, all rights are important. Recently we celebrated Mardi Gras in Sydney. I didn’t attend any parade or celebration in person however, I did see a number of posts online. Something which I noticed and found a bit more unique to this year was the intersectionality explored and represented. What I mean by ‘intersectionality’ in relation to Mardi Grass was the advocating of LGBTQIA+ rights in union with certain minority groups. Some images which come to mind are of a group of people with Amnesty International who were a part of a Mardi Gras parade; with banners advocating for LGBTQIA+ refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. I found this intersectionality replicated in a number of social media posts. I am seeing increasing recognition of intersectionality of rights across many campaigns, parades and protests. This recognition that inequality doesn’t impact everyone in the same way is crucial for change. I think many of us have heard people say similar things to “don’t we have equality now?”. When people say things like this I feel that maybe they are thinking of a very specific image of equality and who they feel may have been previously impacted. Perhaps they have an image of the fact that initially same-sex marriage was not legal and now it is … in some places. However, as many of us know, same-sex marriage is not legal everywhere and genuine equality for people reaches far beyond the right to marry. When I see the images of people associated with Amnesty International holding flags to shed light on refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, it draws attention to the complexity of equality, rights, and how many people are impacted in different ways and to varying extents. There are a number of issues which are considered “invisible” as there is not always as much media attention, interest or because of stigma. I am grateful that organisations like Amnesty International and others who are able to continue advocating for groups considered hidden, invisible and for people who may not have a voice or who have had their voices snatched. By shedding light in these areas we have a better chance at enacting change and reminding people that the fight for equality and LGBTQIA+ rights continues. It is so important to continue the fight for rights for all and to work to represent and empower the many LGBTQIA+ refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, who do not always have the accessibility and capacity to advocate for themselves and/or others. Only by recognising the complexity of issues and the intersectionality of rights can we work to challenge social norms and create genuine equality.

Pride! Read More »

Meet meat

Leave a Comment / Articles /

Today there is a different level of consciousness when it comes to food consumption and our food chain. Even though we are more removed from seeing how meat and animal products are produced, there is a greater movement towards veganism and more plant-based diets. Throughout history, and in some areas today, how people produce animals and animal products for consumption has and is treated with much more care and ethics. I believe that the more we tried to produce animals and animal products for consumption to cater to such a mass audience and at a low cost, is when many people started to see the negative circumstances and detrimental results of doing this. By this I mean the inhumane conditions which animals are confined to, the outcome of having such a high number of animals alive for consumption impacting the environment and the health impacts of consuming as much meat and animal products as many of us do today. I understand that many people argue that we have consumed animals for centuries, protest about their need for specific nutrients and protein or say “it is just the food chain and the way things are done”; which I generally think is a lazy argument. As I mentioned, there have been recent changes in the production of meat and animal products increasing the amount of antibiotics and harmful additives pumped into meat and animal products and changes to the way animals are held and treated at mass producing farms. So, it is not the way things have always been done. I think as humans many of us have a fractured relationship with animals, which is why some of these contradicting behaviours and opinions occur. In certain instances some people will go to the ends of the earth to defend meat eating and in other instances when there are animals in our care the same people will show extreme affection and love towards them; sometimes even going the extra mile and show better care to the animals than they would to humans. I watched an episode of a TV show on SBS called ‘Insight’ which explored the topic of meat and animal product consumption. There was a chef on the episode who was part of the discussion. He mainly discussed that from his perspective, in the Western world, there is so much waste when it comes to food. He continued to argue that if anything we should focus on being more conscious of this waste and be educated and encouraged to make use of the whole animal. What I generally take away from the meat vs no meat debate is to be more conscious and change the way we consume and grow animals and animal products, and work towards consuming more of the animal and savouring it. How I generally consume meat and animal products is by choosing providers which source from organic and genuine free-range farmers. I believe that by reverting to previous forms of meat and animal product production, there will be reduced environmental degradation, enhanced ethics in the way we treat animals and improved health. I believe in veganism and I also believe in significantly reducing the amount of meat and animal product consumption.

Meet meat Read More »

Love…actually

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I don’t feel hopeless about intimate, romantic love when Valentine’s Day rolls around. It’s fun to do something silly like my sister and I do to celebrate. We usually order Thai food and watch cringey shark movies. I definitely think that love should always be celebrated and expressed, not just on this day. I often think about different types of love and relationships, similar to the way the movie ‘Love Actually’ explores them. The film explores romance in so many settings; so many settings where we wouldn’t expect it and often that love is our saviour. It may not always be a fairy tale with someone declaring their romantic feelings towards us in public. Often that love which some of us are lucky enough to experience is unconditional, hard to find and provides fulfilment and support which many take for granted. There are many different types of love worth celebrating. I think sometimes people get caught up in the fantasy of a romantic, intimate partner; which can be lovely but I think that other types of love and relationships are really worth cherishing and commemorating. Friendship is a type of relationship which I feel is neglected and its importance diminished. We live in a time where too many people see others as disposable and claim that “I’m just so bad at keeping in touch with people”. I agree that some people are wired to be more independent than others or perhaps gravitate more towards the group; so if someone organises a social event then they tag along to that. However, I hear so many other people saying “we just lost touch” or “they moved overseas” or some other excuse as to why the friendship wasn’t maintained. I remember having a conversation with someone who was admiring her father and his friend who managed to keep in touch for decades, before a lot of the technology which we have today. I agreed and said it is very admirable, whilst being quite frustrated as to how she couldn’t seem to manage to keep in touch with many of her friends. My father was the same, he kept in touch with many of his friends from childhood and his military days. I naively think that today it should be easier to keep in touch with people given how fast electronic communication is. I don’t know why it’s so much harder for people. Are we all just too busy? Are people considered too disposable? Are we deluded and think no effort should be put into relationships? I often think about that scene in Love Actually where it’s a video montage of all these different people greeting each other at Heathrow airport. I think all of that affection is such a beautiful reminder of the diversity of love and the importance of it. For many people a lot of our love which we receive and give over the course of our lives is between relatives and amongst friends. I think that is something to be nurtured and celebrated. Love…actually is around.

Love…actually Read More »

Invasion Day

Leave a Comment / Articles /

I know a lot of people have strong opinions on Australia Day, what it means, if we should continue to have a national holiday, and some aren’t too concerned as long as a public holiday remains. I definitely hold the view that Aboriginal culture and history should be respected, in particular when thinking about our national holiday. My mind goes in circles when thinking and writing about Australia Day and its history. I know that some people don’t delve too much into the thinking about Australia Day’s date and the significance of it. For some people it’s just nice to have the day off and relax. I know I did some classic Aussie things on Australia Day this year 2022. I went to Bunnings and had a sausage sizzle BBQ. It wasn’t so much to celebrate but it was more the fact that I had a day off and my sister and I wanted to do some gardening. Then two seconds later we smelt the BBQ and it just happened to be Australia Day whilst we were doing all of that. I saw a documentary where an interviewer was asking people on Australia Day why they celebrate it and informed some that the day is actually when the country was invaded; the beginning of the loss of Aboriginal land, rights, freedoms, culture, language and history. Sometimes people were quite surprised by this information and just hadn’t been informed, or thought much about Australia Day and Aboriginal people in conjunction. Other responses were disturbing where they would ignore and dismiss what the interviewer just said as if he were lying. I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to deconstruct thinking, beliefs and values which people have had for a long time or since birth, but the alternative of turning a blind eye to injustice and genocide is devasting. I did a little research to understand what exactly people are celebrating. Many celebrate Australia broadly with no reference to its colonisation history. Others celebrate the welcoming of new citizens, whilst some celebrate having a day off to day drink and stick Australian flag merchandise all over the place. I don’t think that many people are saying not to celebrate Australia or Australian culture. A lot of the controversy appears to be around the specific date of Australia Day. Many countries have national holidays which aren’t in union with colonisation periods. I believe we can still be patriots and proud of Australia whilst making a significant effort to achieving reconciliation. Perhaps a place to continue reconciliation efforts would be with changing the date? I read a beautiful poem in an article on ‘Creative Spirits’ website, under ‘Australia Day – Invasion Day’, by Sandra Gaal Hayman: I am not black I am not white I am not wrong I am not right I am now here Not been before My ancestors Are here no more I am not black I am not white I am not wrong I am not right Their spirit lives in every way Always will unto this day They are so proud and love their land Traditional custodians will stand I am not black I am not white I am not wrong I am not right We have so much to offer all Generations past still call This great land of ours abounds Where harmony and peace are found I am not black I am not white I am not wrong I am not right Proud and true is who we are Some from here and some from far Help each other the best we can That makes us ALL Australian. Source: Jens Korff, 2021. Australia Day – Invasion Day. [online] Creative Spirits. Available at: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australia-day-invasion-day [Accessed 30 January 2022].

Invasion Day Read More »

The Grind

Leave a Comment / Articles /

Personally, when I think of the word ‘lazy’ I think of mess, disorganisation, tiredness and boredom. I recently read this article in Smith Journal about laziness and how laziness is something which should be valued. I agree with this. I am agreeing with the argument made that the constant need or feeling the need to be productive actually isn’t as important as it’s made out to be. We live in a period where there’s this glamourisation of ‘the daily grind’ and ‘the hustle’, where overworking is often viewed as the way to success and happiness. I would like to acknowledge that there is a slow shift to appreciating our mental health, slowing down, mindfulness and investing in relationships more. I do however still see the ever-present overworking riddled in so many spaces, and I don’t just mean at the office. Even as I’m writing this I am trying to hurry so I can get on with completing some standard life admin tasks. I’m not talking about when we have important deadlines where there are serious consequences to not completing something and when things need to be completed in order to meet needs and get fed. What I am more referring to is the culture as a whole of valuing “productivity” over self-care. It really can be a challenge when people as individuals try to balance everything. It is good to want to pursue a career and do well in that career, and because the workforce is so competitive the expectation of how people have to work is by hustling and working themselves into the ground. What often gets sacrificed is personal wellness and the maintenance of our general sanity. Too often I hear about people needing to complete a Bachelor’s degree, whilst working part-time or casually in some café or store, volunteering and completing and internship at some point. This is pretty normal and sometimes considered the average amount of work. I remember struggling to stay afloat during my uni days and I was very privileged in terms of living at home and not needing to work full-time, on top of uni in order to stay alive. How much harder many people have to work if they do live out of home, are carers for other people or have children, or any other consuming responsibilities, is pretty unimaginable. What is the value of this? Is it really a greater output? There is this guilt which lives inside a lot of people if they choose to do “nothing” on the weekend, perhaps watch some tv or alike. Many times I’ve heard people feeling pressure to give an exciting answer when asked what they have planned for their weekend, when lots want to enjoy their weekends genuinely relaxing. However the perception of doing “nothing” is concerning, not just from outsiders but also the self-perception of not doing enough. In reality many people have to work 9:00am-5:00pm Monday to Friday each week at a minimum so is it really so bad if on our weekends we actually slow down? Most of the time plenty of us have to get organised like meal planning, cleaning our homes, washing our clothes, cooking and/or exercising. Only after this, if we even manage to get these tasks done, do we have a chance to do nothing; often the pressure can kick in for us to do something. So it’s back to the good old grind.

The Grind Read More »