Is it any wonder we’re an apathetic lot in Australia? We’re teased as kids for being weird, trying new things, liking uncommon things, doing things differently, being different. When all we want, is to fit in.
That’s what we biologically need, to fit in, to stay with the tribe, to stay alive. So, to fit in, we stop doing the things that make us happy, those things that flag us as weird or unusual. We beat ourselves up about it. We question our choices and find ourselves lacking.
We spend so much time worrying about what others think, that we bury deeply, what we love and what we think.
Over the years the apathy grows.
We keep doing what we think others want … to fit in.
We take jobs we don’t like … to fit in.
We stop hobbies we love … to fit in.
We stop sharing our opinion … to fit in.
We stop caring … to fit in.
We do the things that make us fit in. We drown our apathy in hours of binge watching Netflix, playing games, eating bad food, scrolling social media. Feeding the addiction for that next high. Getting up and doing it all over again tomorrow.
The problem with this is that we wake up, in our thirties or forties and wonder what’s missing from our life. Wondering why we feel so unfulfilled.
Find the spark of joy
You know what you love, you know what that little spark is. If you look deep down, you’ll find the things you loved as a kid. Or the things that you’ve wanted to try over the years, but didn’t.
Well, guess what? Now’s the time.
Go do your thing. Love every second of it. Because, you deserve the joy it brings you.
A few tips to fight apathy
- Be curious.
- Make the decision to care and have an opinion.
- Find your joy – what do you love? Be curious, find it, do it, or have fun exploring the possibilities
- Self awareness – know when you’re feeling it
- Actively look for joy in all situations – focus on the good instead of the bad
- Create routines to fight apathy – meditation, reading books, make a creative date with yourself and protect the time, affirmations,
- Understand growth vs fixed mindset
Apathy is a choice. Is it your choice?