Be A Nobody
There is a humble virtue in being a nobody. Somebody that people demand little from. Somebody known only by those the person wishes to be known by. In a world that seems to put being an 'influencer' on a pedestal there is a virtue in being someone that lets the spotlight shine on someone else. In a society that admires the person who can command a room, to bend the will of others, to dominate the competition, there is a virtue in going with the flow and simply being present.
Being an 'influencer' is a dream held by many. Personally, I couldn't tell you a less desirable profession than one that commands so many eyes. From the outside, being an influencer seems like a dream. Your entire career is made of you just talking to a camera, living a life of luxury.
I want to push back and ask, is that really all it is? To be an influencer is to have every moment stripped of it's enjoyment. Every meal becomes a photo op, every walk becomes a story to share, every mistake must be hidden, your personality must be flattened, and your soul must be commodified. You can't so much as poop without tweeting about it.
This goes beyond the influencer. Think of the the people who's time is constantly in demand. The person whose schedule is packed. Whose salary may be large, but their time is seldom. They rise early, sleep late, and sleep like a Chihuahua with an anxiety disorder. They make up the influencers, the managers and executives, even just the average worker who simply strives to climb some mythical ladder.
When these people that those who imbue the demands onto us for the sake of productivity and profit, they are at their beck and call. For those that choose not to join in the game, what do they have left? Time.
The "high achiever" chugs an energy drink that makes them anxious and jittery, sprints to their car, speeds through traffic, probably rear-end the Prius in front of them on the highway. The other is enjoying a simple morning coffee as they take in the sounds of the early morning. The chirp of morning birds, the footsteps of people taking their pets on a walk. If you live in a city this is mostly going to be the sound of a homeless man shouting at an demon or a car honking, but the message is all the same.
I know people who spent their whole lives chasing ambitious goals with seemingly no end in sight. The moment they leave that constant sprint and find themselves with a morning of nowhere to go and nobody to answer to, they feel like they can breathe for the first time.
Where others are robbed of their time in order to pursue a dollar, those who chose to live an unassuming life, free from the demands of hustle culture, get the freedom to dictate their day. I understand this is a privileged position that not all of us can afford, but making time to simply exist should be something we strive for.
When we think of what we should have in abundance, money isn't it. Time is the thing we should be having in abundance, and money should merely be used as a means to liberate our time.
Time is the truest mark of wealth my friends. You can have all the money in the world, but if you can't so much as afford the time to take a walk, how wealthy are you really? What is the point then of all that money?
You become someone who bought a nice car with no time to take it on a leisure drive. You bought a nice couch with no time to sit on it. A dining table that will never have so much a food stain on it. A bed tha- ah you get the point.
When you are expected to do less, you are liberated to live more.
So, I encourage you to take the steps to living the life of a nobody. Walk slower, eat and enjoy the flavors of your food with each bite, step away from a spotlight you find yourself in, demand less of yourself. This isn't to say don't chase your goals or ambitions, but do so in a way where you can find balance with your leisure. Give yourself the grace to simply be.