It’s no secret that in the modern age of information, with an overabundance of social media platforms, exposure to others’ accomplishments and ambitions, and a lack of privacy, many people find themselves unhappy. They believe themselves incapable of keeping up with others amidst the constant commotion and progression, whether it be due to their “perfectionism” or burning out from exhaustion and fatigue.
On Trending with Timmerie, Timmerie talked about this new age mentality of pusillanimity, or poor self-image and self-motivation. She made a point of not confusing this term with timidity or humility. While humility is an honest assessment of yourself, your work, and your practices, pusillanimity is the diminishing of your reality. It is a false degradation of what you have accomplished, a fake sense of humility.
“You see, this touches on a problem that we have as Americans, and we’re going to talk about this more during our happy hour here, with regard to how people can be happier by working less. And everybody can work less,” said Timmerie. We have a strong work culture here in America, which is a good thing and that ties in very well with our capitalist structure. But sometimes, we have a tendency to overwork and that leads to a myriad of problems that compound each other exponentially.
We have the mindset of “auto-next,” one task after another after another. We have to always be moving and at the end of the day, we find ourselves incapable of being proud of ourselves but just as capable of being prideful in that we are filled with false humility. Timmerie referenced the radical feminist movement whose unofficial motto seems to be, “We can do anything you can do better.” Mothers are finding it more and more difficult to do and have it all, so living in this atmosphere of accelerated ambitions, they push even harder.
Additionally, our generation is facing a difficult financial situation with instability due to inflation, expensive housing, and student loans. With all these obstacles and more, the slightest amount of pressure could force us over the line into becoming what Timmerie calls “human doings,” no longer “human beings.” Rather than “I am what I am” as God created us, we are attempting to conform to the mold that our overworked mind has conjured up. We should be grateful for what God has achieved through us and what we have accomplished with His guidance.
“In order to be happy and overcome this ‘internalized capitalism,’ you need the rich tradition of the Catholic Faith. You also need the capacity to just say ‘no’… Just say no. Say no when you’re overcommitting yourself.” Ignoring whatever modern connotations the term may have nowadays, we need to have a real dedication to “self-care.” We should be providing the mental and physical rest that our minds and bodies need in order to live a full and happy life. If we truly believe that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, we should embrace the time for rest and relaxation and take pride in the work that we do well.
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