Do you REALIZE?

These days, people are overthinking almost everything, especially when it comes to personal achievements. It’s likely one of the factors driving our stress levels up, making us obsess over small details. Overthinking is actually something we can manage ourselves, but sometimes it’s just tough to stay focused on one thing, let alone avoid overthinking altogether. And now, in the digital era, we’re constantly bombarded with information and trends from everywhere, especially social media. Our brains end up overloaded trying to process it all, which only leads to more overthinking and confusion about what information really matters.  

Scrolling through social media can feel like a quick escape or a way to heal, but sometimes, without realizing it, we start comparing ourselves to others. We see others on vacation, in better jobs, or in healthy relationships, and it makes us feel like we’re not enough, driving us to overthink and wonder, “Why am I not like that?” When friends constantly post updates, it can feel like we’re out of sync with them—this is FOMO (fear of missing out), a feeling of being left behind on the latest trends or experiences, especially since we’re almost always on social media. Social media often shows us examples of “perfect lives,” whether from influencers or young successful entrepreneurs. This makes us set high expectations for ourselves, which leads to overthinking when we feel we haven’t met those standards.  

Recently, there’s a trending movie called Home Sweet Loan, which touches on the “sandwich generation.” Watching it, I realized there’s this cultural push to always “do more, achieve more.” So, when we see others accomplishing great things, we think, “I should be at that level by now, too.” Being so absorbed in the digital world leaves us with little time to reflect and process our own feelings. In the end, all those emotions pile up, making us overthink when we face tough situations, simply because we’re not even sure what we truly want.  

In the middle of all this pressure to always “do more, achieve more,” it’s essential to remember that everyone’s journey is different. Sometimes, we need to give ourselves space to appreciate the progress we’ve made, no matter how small. Let’s not let other people’s standards make us forget our original goals. What we really need might not be more achievements but rather peace and self-acceptance in every step we take.  

Realizing and trying are the keys.