Do you remember when you were a kid who had nothing to worry about except for food, hanging out, and having fun? Well, I do remember and I really missed those days!
I mean, how you could play with friends throughout the day and nothing will disturb your conscience. How you could do whatever you want, when and how you want to without having to worry about some kind of deadline to meet!
Then adulthood sets in. Now, you’re almost done with your university education and you start hearing words like: “don’t think I’ll be the one feeding you after this” from your parents, or, “if you miss this opportunity you may be a loser forever” from your friends.
The social media age has even made the pressure intense, such that as you go through your story feed, it’s like every body is becoming something. It seems all your friends, except you, are making waves!
You go through your WhatsApp status and everybody already has a business: everybody is now a CEO, or now has a YouTube channel, or something that makes it seem as if they have their life planned out, and you start wondering what your life is all about.
Some even go as far as forwarding links and pictures to you, asking you to help them promote their business – All this just makes you wish you had yours. In fact, if we check your profile on Facebook, people would think you’re some sort of marketer because of how your friends are tagging you, sharing their business fliers.
I felt this same way while chatting with a friend the other day. Our conversation actually initiated and inspired this article. This friend of mine who just became a CEO asked me what are my plans to make money, and for few seconds I was lost in thought – I felt pressurized!
Yes, I have plans which I shared with him but his question almost made me think of rushing things. I suddenly felt the rush to ‘become’, but then I snapped out of it and got a hold of myself. Thank God, my inner peace was restored!
The society today has placed some kind of responsibility on us. There are things people expect you to have at a certain age. Friends and family have expectations of you, and there are pressures here and there to become something.
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Like Jonathan McReynolds said in one of his songs and holds true: “I can’t even turn on my phone without being reminded of the life that I’m broke, alone, and unsuccessful. I can’t even talk to my friends, because they’ve got expectations that I may, or may not be living up to.”
This above quote describes your life, as you- because of people’s expectations of you- really want to become something: a writer, an artist, a model, just something that gives you this sense of achievement. But you see, while all this cannot be avoided, you still have to take things at your own pace.
Do what you can do while you can and trust God. Respect your own time.
Don’t compromise to “become”. If you do, you would probably regret it years later.
I get it, these pressures are all around you, but you can control them. For example, I block the status of some people, neglect some messages, minimize my time on social media, control my conversations with friends, and so on, just to maintain my inner peace.
I urge you to do the same.
Do you feel someone’s status make you feel unnecessarily pressurized? Then mute it!
Maybe you get tagged too much? Warn them to stop.
Do you think a friend’s chat always make you feel insecure? Stop chatting with them, or just go offline for a while.
You can control the content you feed on.
On all my social media platforms, I hardly scroll up and down feeding on anything and everything that comes my way. I rather login and search for the people who I trust their content. I read it, feel inspired and logout.
Even on Whatsapp, I select which status I view and whom I chat with and whose chat I reply to. By doing this, I am maintaining my sanity and peace, not feeding on what I don’t want to. Yes, it takes discipline, but it’s worth it. Don’t you think?
{Read: Social Media: Who to Follow and Why}
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting laziness or inertia. I’m only saying this:
If you take the wrong step or move to ‘become’ when you are not ready, you would have yourself to blame for the consequences!
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So, my friend:
Take your time: be real with yourself. Don’t move until you want to. Understand deals before you sign them. Understand gifts to monetize and the ones for leisure no matter the offer.
Have fun: Yes, I know you want to influence people, make money and make your name heard. It’s alright to want all that, but your ‘becoming’ is more than what the social media celebrates.
“You can feel alone at the top.” mali-music said in one of his songs. So, just enjoy the process. Trust God and your own timing. Guard your steps. keep your sanity. Take it easy! You see this money? We will all make it. This influence? We will all have it.
In due time, we will all “become”.
Have you felt pressured to “become” lately? Did you find this post helpful? I’ll like to hear from you in the comments and remember to share with a friend who needs this.
Teens Meet Outreach 
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