Do you have a guilty pleasure? Perhaps a band that’s kind of embarrassing, a hobby that doesn’t seem age-appropriate, or a cheesy rom com that you could watch over and over again? Well, maybe those pleasures shouldn’t make you feel guilty.
Think of the human being as an iPhone. The traffic, incompetent coworkers, angry bosses, screaming kids, and nightly news about world atrocities are the apps that drain the battery oh so quickly. Sometimes eating ice cream for dinner, getting your nails done, seeing your favorite band more than once, or buying that 40th Star Wars action figure is your metaphorical phone charger.
We’re too often afraid of judgment from others around what brings us joy. We wonder if other people will see us as selfish, especially if we have kids. We think others may see our little morsel of happiness as a waste of time or money. Then we begin to question ourselves. Is the thing I love perhaps unnecessary? Maybe it is a waste of money? Maybe I should put my kids first all the time?
If we succumb to these judgments, be they perceived or real, we’ll be holding ourselves and others around us back. If we don’t do what recharges us we won’t be able to help anyone else when they’re feeling low. We have to be able to perform acts of self-care if we are to care for others.
Let’s not spend so much time constantly reminding ourselves that it’s not okay to do those things that make us happy. Let’s do our best not to let others’ ideals shape what we do with our time. Everyone has a different idea of what gives them pleasure. It’s important to remember that just because something doesn’t “do it” for you doesn’t mean it’s invalid and that it doesn’t “do it” for someone else.
Let's support each others' joy because this is what allows us to put something good back into society. It can also help us build our networks, learn new skills, and become more confident people. I've met some of the coolest people through shared interests.
We need to do the little things that make it worth being here so we can make others feel this way too. Being KindaKind includes being KindaKind to ourselves. Life is about more than staying afloat. I want to live in a world where we always help each other reach the beautiful islands.