I'm the-no-good-commie who thinks that what you do for work doesn't matter, could care less where you've been or what you own, and believes that you need no greater purpose in life. That the only thing that really matters is the constant journey to understanding who you are and figuring out how to honor that in a world that wants you to feel wholly inadequate.
If we don't need to be searching for meaning, if we don't have to be anything other than exactly who we are in this moment…what are we supposed to be doing? Sitting on the couch, watching The Bachelor, and eating cinnamon rolls??? (these vegan ones are my favorite if you need a recipe)
What will become of society if we become a bunch of lazy snowflakes whose only purpose is the integrity of our own existence???
I have no idea because I'm not a philosopher or a guru and really there's no chance of capitalism changing sufficiently in the time we have remaining on the planet before it becomes inhospitable and we all die off like the dinosaurs. But! I do have a small suggestion for the unbearable interim.
Joy.
Identify at least one thing that gives you joy and do it at least once a day. This something shouldn't be dependent on other people or money (if you've got money, we can make an exception, but most of us don't and fuck capitalism anyway). It should be something you can do easily, daily. It doesn't have to be justified or have a purpose (forget being nicer, faster, taller, wiser). You feeling joy once a day. That's it.
Some examples from my life:
I do a 2 page free write every morning (inspired by practice in the Artist's Way) and while I really don't think it contributes to my artistic process, it brings me peace and gives me time to reflect—my happy place. It does depend on my kid not waking up before I'm done but I do my best to be the earliest riser in the house. My hub also does his best to keep her occupied if she does wake up.
I drink ginger tea every morning. So delish. For a while it was Lady Grey but the caffeine hits me hard and the tea itself is a relic of colonialism, which isn't cool. So chunks of ginger it is!
On sunny days, I sit outside for 15 minutes before 10 a.m., with no sunscreen. I have no garden/sit on a slab of concrete and all around me are the noises of repulsive high rise condos being built but that doesn't keep me for enjoying the sun and being grateful that the planet's kept it together this long and there's still air (albeit polluted) and water for me to survive another day.
For a while, I read a poem every day. I haven't done that in a while, but that's a silly mistake. Poetry gives me joy, even when it challenges me or leaves me scratching my head. Jamaal May is one of my favs.
I love movement (walks, hikes, dancing, even weight lifting…sort of) but I have to be very careful because my tendency is to use exercise to try to modify my body and not celebrate it. Which sucks and is probably a post for a different day.
No one small thing will change your life, but remember—I'm the jerk who doesn't think YOU need to change (with the obvious caveats of treating mental anguish or stopping abusive behavior. I also think Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz and Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Barrett, among others, need to change radically).
You may be a cog in a machine and obligated to sell your soul to the man (this is a judgement free zone and all the blame rests at the feet of capitalism), but you still deserve joy (minus those mentioned above)
No matter what. You + joy + every damn day. Think of it like Marie Kondoing your life, without the part that requires getting rid of the crap.
Make sure you've got (at least) one spark of joy a day. Because: you are older today than you were yesterday, the Supreme Court is a slam dunk for conservative hoo-ha, and we are consuming our way into extinction. Capitalism’s death march requires capturing joy when and where we can.
Forget being more productive or better or whatever and find your joy for today. Come on, you can do it!
If you have any suggestions for free joy, leave them in the comments. And if you need some inspiration, Julie Andrews has our back.
My daily walk in my neighborhood checking out all the flora and fauna and listening to the same songs on repeat - sparks joy!
Love this 💜