The hypnotic glow of our phones sucks us into a relentless parade of #BeachLife2024 and #DigitalNomad perfection. Endless turquoise water lapped at pristine white sand,
and influencers with bodies sculpted by the gods, (and not a lifetime supply of protein
shakes) lounge under designer umbrellas.
#DigitalNomad laptop glows with the promise of #RemoteWorkLifeBalance while cocktails give them flow like the waters next to them.
A pang of envy - sharp and unwelcomed - twists our gut.
Here we are huddled in a tiny room, the winter air beginning to clutch at our bones but
the heater remains switched off – a silent battle against the ever-rising cost of living.
The only sparkle we see comes from our flickering monitor.
Luxury vacations and designer clothes are for the highlight reels, the reality obscured
by perfectly angled shots. We rummage through generic brands at the supermarket to
ensure bread and milk stay under $20. We wait for the next paycheck knowing it's not
guaranteed with all these job cuts going around.
#BeachLife2024 and #DigitalNomad seem blissfully unaware of the economy softening. What do they know that we don't?
Looks like it’s time to reach out to the #foodstagrams. Nothing beats culinary journeys, that hide the unhealthy relationships with food, the foodies have to put a spring in the steps of our eggs and toast life.
Okay, enough whining, you scoff - do some Positive Affirmations for Pete's sake! And
why are you using “We” when we know this is a solo pity party.
My bad, I thought we were in this together! Our lives are being bombarded by influencers
and we all don’t know how to live without their commentaries on fitness, food, travel, and
activism.
Apologies! Consider yourself released from the comparison trap.
I guess you are probably not freaking out about the looming recession, job cuts,
geo-political wars, AI becoming a god, and the ever-worsening climate crisis. And yes, if
I have missed a crisis don’t point it out, go troll someone else. We have real problems
to care about; so instead, let us all go back to watching curated perfection. Or let's all
put our phones downs for a bit, after you finish reading this of course!
Forget FOMO, let's embrace JOMO – the "Joy Of Missing Out" on curated perfection and
sensationalised fear.