How Long Are We Supposed to Keep Pretending…
You know, this is getting real old. Every day it’s the same: wake up, clock in, and smile through a job that values productivity over people (like, God forbid you have an off day). Meanwhile, capitalism’s out here doing its thing, hiking up the price of everything. Cut to me in the grocery store trying to decide if oat milk is worth a late payment notice.
And somehow, we’re expected to keep it all together while pretending not to notice that this country’s being held together with scotch tape and a prayer. But gotta keep smiling! Wouldn’t want to break the collective daydream we’ve all agreed to live in to get through the day.
But seriously…when does it get better?
Most days, I feel like I’m in one of those early 2000s music videos where the artist is standing still in slow motion while everyone passes by them in 3x speed. Despite hearing, seeing, and experiencing all the awful things happening in this country each day, we’re still expected to march on like it’s just another lovely, fantastic, ✨magical✨ day living in the USA 🇺🇸
…..give me a break. 🙄
So, what now? I mean, it’s clear we’re locked in for at least another three years of this. I simply cannot bear the thought of going on like this for that much longer (not in life, just in this presidency! Felt the need to clarify that one lol).
Whenever I get big feelings like this, my first thought is, “Does anyone else feel this way?” I start spiraling down that rabbit hole of wanting confirmation that I’m not the only one quietly losing it behind a polite smile. There’s a weird comfort in realizing other people are also doing their best to hold it together while everything feels like it’s falling apart.
Because let’s be honest, things just feel off right now. Everyone’s tired. Everyone’s stretched thin. We’re all doing the mental gymnastics of pretending everything’s fine while our rent’s going up, the world’s on fire (literally and figuratively), and we can’t even grab a coffee without questioning if it’s “financially responsible.” It’s exhausting trying to be hopeful when every headline feels like we’re taking 5 steps back.
And yet, here we are. Showing up, getting dressed, cracking jokes, and doing our best to find something good in the uncertainty. Maybe that’s the only answer there is. Not pretending everything’s okay, but admitting it isn’t.
I guess there’s no heartfelt, hopeful message to leave off with this time.
Well, actually….that’s not totally true. We did get some much-needed wins this past week with Mamdani’s election win in NY and the passing of Prop 50 in California, so there’s that!
If you’re feeling a little existential and a lot over it, you’re not the only one. You’re in good company.
