TeacupAudio
patreon
✨ 🍵 Spilling Tea 🍵 ✨ [Why We're All Exhausted] [Monthly Newsletter] [February 2021]
🕑 Added 2021-02-16 12:32:24 +0000 UTCToday's topic: Why We're All Exhausted [In My Opinion]
So, in my humble opinion, we overthink absolutely everything.
We live in a more conscious world than ever before. We're not only privy to the goings-on of other countries, other cultures, other life in space, but now, we ourselves have become the news itself. The rise of social media has made our very lives an event, a spectacle, a brand. We are what's noteworthy.
And in my opinion, this is, quite frankly, terrible.
Even when we're completely alone, we're never truly cut off from life's pressures, anxieties, and unnecessary competitions. And how can we be? With just a scroll down your phone you can find seven ways in which you don't measure up: you're not as attractive as him, you're not as successful as her, she's just had a baby, but you haven't even got a partner, so-and-so is doing a marathon, whilst you've been sat in the dark masturbating over a fictional character etc, etc, exhausting, etc.
This constant barrage of he's doing this, she's got this, is taking healthy peer competitiveness to the very unhealthy max. The plain truth is, we're not events, or spectacles, or brands. We're flawed, layered people who most of the time aren't that fascinating. And that's exactly how it should be. But with the rise of social media, it's very difficult to find that truth in all the shiny veneer. If you're not part of it, you can feel left out, and if you are part of it, you feel exhausted by the need to keep up glossy, interesting, false appearances.
So, if we acknowledge this, why don't we stop? Okay, maybe more realistically, why don't we pull back? We have no control over what other people do, think, or believe, and that's how it should be. But we absolutely have control over what we do. It might not always feel that way, but we do, even if it means you have to quite literally tell yourself "stop".
Ultimately, in my opinion, ignorance may be bliss, but distractions are so much better. So, distract the fuck out of yourself. Whatever your thing is - do it and enjoy it! Don't overthink it, don't make yourself feel guilty for enjoying your downtime, just be as present as YOU possibly can. The internet isn't going to stop, the online world is only going to keep on growing, but your time is finite, and it's incredibly important you get the most out of it.
So, maybe we should all stop worrying what so-and-so is having for lunch, and just start enjoying lunch. We are not spectators in our own lives. We are our lives. And they are, very much, what we make of them.
I really appreciate that life isn't one size fits all. These are just my thoughts, I hope they can be of some use to you.
Best wishes,
Tea
Comments
Nery
Holy heck I need to fricken print this out and frame it on my wall! For real because for me comparing myself to others is what I call the root of most of my anxiety. Just wondering if I’m doing enough or if I should be doing more. Thanks for wording this better than I could have Tea. Because I need to read this again anytime my brain starts point out others and starts to compare me to them.
AudioFreak
Excellent blog! This one line sums it up for me: "We are not spectators in our own lives. "
Jeremy Knight
Yeah I definitely know what it's like feeling less of a person because I'm not doing what other person is doing. Especially sex or working. This is a really nice letter.
VanderMeme Productions
Sometimes I'll take a couple of days and just go out into the woods with minimal gear, sure-fire, and a small tent and sleeping bag, and I just exist. The only time I use my phone is for emergencies. I build my own "kitchens", cook with the ingredients I brought, and maybe a blutooth speaker to put on some peaceful Skyrim music. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to do all those things and not have to worry about social media and responsibilities. It's just... me. And every time I have to go back to life I dread it because it feels like a constant pissing contest
Kevin Uribe
Thank you Tea this helps a lot.
Latefordinner
Thank you! I love how positive and wholesome you are! This was lovely to read! ❤️
Bella
I needed this. Thankyou Tea.
Jared Chinchello
Damn Tea, first newsletter and you knocked it outta the park. This was a great thing to wake up to.
June
Thank you
Mighty_M
Was worried this would be an audio and you would wear out your voice. I needed someone to tell me to finish my lunch and distract myself from the "stage" of social media. Thanks Tea!!
Chupabro20one10
God did I need a good read from someone's opinion I respect. Keep it up tea.
Kellydusty
Wow this is incredibly written. Thank you Tea!
Tony Silvey
Know what? I WILL enjoy it!
Nathan Erickson
A lot of my friends are artists and it was always so aggravating in spite of myself. They're all sooooo good at art and I'm over here doing stick figures with no drive to learn how to draw. I never wanted to be jealous but it crept in, ya know? Finally I realized there were things I was really good at myself. Some were mundane, but my friends came to me about them. It takes time to realize you have value and what you're good at counts too. In other words: not everyone is a painter - some people make the brushes and others the canvas. It takes all of them to create art.
Sheridan Dancer
Truly insightful Tea
sa r dran 24
Damn, that’s deep. I appreciate the message at the end tea
Travis Teague
Don't know what life experiences you had that granted you the insight you have. But I gotta say Tea, you're a real gem and you hit the nail on the head with this one. We constantly compare what we have or don't have to people whom seem to have it all. There's no way that is healthy in a long term context. From one internet stranger to another, may you have a good day and enjoy it in the best way you can 🤙
Camilo Iribarren
Such beautiful wisdom from someone who went through so much can connect with so many. I’m happy to have read this. Thank you
Joe
Tea, you are an absolute gift! Thank you for saying this, it’s certainly a comforting message! X
JayFamTWH
I know what you mean. The heathy competitiveness between my art and my school friends had been the reason I wanted to get better at art, but with a lot of the art medias I followed, my mind went from "I want to be as good as them!" to "I can't keep up with any of these works." It killed my desire to work on my own lovely doodles, and even now I'm trying desperately to revive that love.
Ian Bale
Words to live by. Thank you for the pep talk.
Mranqueetas
Excellent read, thank you
JamaicanMeCrazy
^^^ This
Frohawk
Having just woken up at midday, still being tired and being unhappy about both those things, I agree with the jist of this article. I think I have my own problems that make me tired but part of that is definitely over thinking things and not allowing myself to relax without feeling guilty. It's pancake day here in the UK which will be nice, other than that I'm going to give myself a manageable list and work in some time to not be busy, haha. The article's great Tea, it reminds me I'm not alone so cheers. 😊
Örpendörpen
I don't know how that's possible, but you always find the perfect words. I fully support this opinion. The internet can be an amauing and beautiful place but every light casts shadows and the shadows of the internet can be pretty fucking dark. I'm really glad i subscribed to your patreon. You are a shining beacon for so many people and i gladly support that. Thank you so much for your hard work
This was an amazing read. Thanks tea! Cant wait for the next one!
Blindluck92
This was something I needed to hear. I'm on the "not part of it and feeling left out" end of social media you described, and it's still exhausting. Thanks, Tea.
Cato Talleyrand
You might consider taking up blogging as a hobby (if you haven’t already). Decoupled from TeacupAudio, where there is -let’s face it- an onus on escapism from loneliness or alienation. The eloquence and the fact that you think things through like this suggests there might be a broader readership distinct from your listeners here. Of course, this would require even more work and your husband would probably place a curse on my head for even suggesting it, but I think it is worth a thought or two. Anyway, I enjoyed the post and keep’em coming
Darkai
This is great and I can't wait to see what comes next
Midge
Definitely in agreement here tea... honestly sometimes I take breaks from social media and find that sometimes helps too like... just having some time away from it all
LadyMaria
Thank you.
Lucas
Love this and how much I agree with it! Did you ever consider a career in Journalism?
Khalid Patterson
agreed
