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Unspoken Acceptances That Still Appear Unusual: A List of 11 Behaviors and Practices We've Adapted as the New Normal

Life's turbulence can be overwhelming, leading us to seek stability. Yet, unbeknownst to many, there are 11 everyday occurrences we unconsciously accept as standard, despite their abnormality. Here they are:

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Life's unpredictability can be overwhelming, and we often seek tranquility. However, certain...
Life's unpredictability can be overwhelming, and we often seek tranquility. However, certain practices that have infiltrated our daily lives are accepted despite their irregularity. Here are eleven such practices that we unknowingly tolerate as normal, although they may not be:

Unspoken Acceptances That Still Appear Unusual: A List of 11 Behaviors and Practices We've Adapted as the New Normal

In the swirling maelstrom of toxic social standards, expectations, and norms, it's no surprise we all feel adrift, hard-pressed to find a life we can feel content and proud about. Each aspect of our lives can be consumed by trying to conform, fit in, and please others if we're not careful - whether it's self-expression, career ambitions, romantic relationships, or self- identity. However, it's usually not our own fault when we're struggling, instead, it's our environment and the destructive beliefs we've been told to accept.

Here's a list of 11 things that we all too quietly accept as the new normal, despite their negative impact on our well-being, authenticity, and peace of mind:

  1. The myth of no free time:
  2. Partaking in a never-ending cycle of work, personal obligations, and responsibilities - all while balancing close to 1,000 life admin tasks each year - isn't just taking away valuable time for exercise, hobbies, and social connection; it's also isolating us and promoting burnout.
  3. Working from your bed:
  4. Even though working remotely has its benefits, cozying up in your sheets to get work done can hurt your physical health, sleep quality, and work-life balance.
  5. A constant news fix:
  6. Keeping up with every breaking news story through social media, television, and phone alerts may provide constant stimulation, but it also poses serious risks to mental health and overall well-being.
  7. Being available 24/7:
  8. Overcommitting oneself, ignoring personal needs, and obligating oneself to be present for everyone at all times isn't only damaging to relationships and internal well-being – it's downright toxic.
  9. Self-diagnosing illnesses:
  10. Relying on Google for medical advice rather than seeking professional help can lead to anxiety, unnecessary stress, and even misdiagnoses.
  11. Work being our whole identity:
  12. Basically, making work the center of our personality and life can lead to burnout, job loss, and an unhealthy obsession with our careers.
  13. Performative identities:
  14. Conforming to societal expectations and popular trends, whether it's online or in real life, can distort personal identity, leading to a lack of authenticity and self-expression.
  15. Romanticizing burnout:
  16. Overachieving, working long hours, and neglecting self-care may be rewarded with praise but comes with an increased risk of burnout, reduced mental and physical health, and strained relationships.
  17. Suppressing emotions:
  18. Refusing to express emotions, especially for men, can lead to social disconnection, unresolved trauma, and negative impacts on relationships and well-being.
  19. Ghosting:
  20. Avoiding uncomfortable conversations by cutting off contact with someone instead of discussing conflicts can create unnecessary tension, damage relationships, and harm the other person's self-esteem.
  21. Feeling guilty for resting:
  22. Neglecting self-care, prioritizing work and external validation, and sacrificing personal needs for others can lead to burnout, mental health issues, and disconnection from ourselves.

Zayda Slabbekoorn, a staff writer with a degree in social relations and policy, focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.

  1. Zayda Slabbekoorn explores the impact of the 'myth of no free time' on well-being, authenticity, and peace of mind, highlighting how it hampers valuable time for exercise, hobbies, and social connection.
  2. In her writings on lifestyle and personal growth, Slabbekoorn addresses the negative effects of working from one's bed, emphasizing its impact on physical health, sleep quality, and work-life balance.
  3. As an advocate for mental health, Slabbekoorn warns against the constant news fix, explaining how it poses serious risks to mental health and overall well-being.
  4. In her education-and-self-development articles, Slabbekoorn discusses the dangers of being available 24/7, explaining how it damages relationships, internal well-being, and work-life balance.
  5. Slabbekoorn's stories often delve into the consequences of self-diagnosing illnesses, pointing out the anxiety, unnecessary stress, and misdiagnoses that can result from relying on Google for medical advice.
  6. Drawing from her background in social relations and policy, Slabbekoorn examines the risks of work being our whole identity, explaining how it can lead to burnout, job loss, and an unhealthy obsession with careers.
  7. In her work on relationships and mental health, Slabbekoorn explores the distortion of personal identity that comes from performative identities, conformed to societal expectations and popular trends.
  8. Slabbekoorn's vibrant stories also touch upon the pitfalls of romanticizing burnout, highlighting the increased risk of burnout, reduced mental and physical health, and strained relationships that come with overachieving, working long hours, and neglecting self-care.

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