#26: You Can Have It All, So You Better!

With more available to us than ever, it's not a matter of if we can have it all, but that we...better?

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Don’t settle for less than you deserve while dating (but couple up quick, because society is kinder to couples in every way), be other people’s village (even though there’s no guarantee or likelihood you’ll have your own when it’s your turn), put sunscreen on every day to protect yourself from the sun (but also get a bit of full sun for your circadian rhythm + mental health), work like you’re not a mother (but also be a great mother), be informed about world happenings and politically active (but don’t get so depressed that it makes you disillusioned or inactive), be a good family member and make time for long-distance family (even though 1 trip is a minimum of $2k these days), have a good skincare routine to avoid signs of aging (but age gracefully and embrace wrinkles and don’t spend too much time or money on skincare otherwise you’re vain), have a healthy relationship with food and love eating (but be a size that society responds kindly to, and live in a country in which we’re surrounded by unsupportive food and food deserts), be a present and supportive partner (but also have time for yourself and keep it spicy), have kids (but good luck affording them and raising them in a country that lacks any support for child-rearing), spend time taking care of your body and workout (but not too much time, otherwise you’re self-obsessed), be self-made and earn a great living and share your secrets (but you’ll get judged about every aspect of your spending and have your work be belittled if it’s not conventional).

The amount of double standards and expectations that shape our every day experiences and to-do' lists is… exhausting. While these double standards exist for all of humans on this earth, it’s no secret that there’s a certain arena reserved just for women (you paid attention during Barbie, right?).

anaykashe

A post shared by @anaykashe

With convenience and instant gratification (do we really need an Amazon order delivered same-day within hours, expected as a free option?) built into our every day, the expectations of what is reasonable to accomplish in a day has risen alongside that. It feels a little like a, dance, monkey, dance anthropological experiment.