Oftentimes, I wonder if what I’m wearing is okay, if I’m being too sensitive, too harsh, if I have the right beliefs, among so many other things. I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way often. Nowadays, not only are we so quick to judge others but we are constantly feeling pressured to live a certain way or look a certain way, and sometimes to feel a certain way. While a lot of this does come from social media, it can even just be seen when you are in public. The way we as humans are so quick to judge, I believe plays a role in this. 

These instances can vary from deciding what career path to go down, beauty standards, and many other standards. However, the good thing is that these are not “rules.” They are not rules that we have to follow. Believe it or not, you can actually wear whatever you want, or feel anyway that you want, and even decide your own future even if it’s not gonna make a high amount of money. My point is, these standards have not done any good for the society, it has put an unnecessary amount of pressure on the society and has led to unrealistic standards that can also take a toll on the individual themself. 

There is no correct way to live. However, many people feel like there is. This is because of the societal standards that have been emphasized. But, the problem is, these societal standards can lead to mental health problems in people. Not feeling like you’re doing enough is going to result in anxiety, depression, maybe even some alcohol or drug abuse which leads to even bigger problems. 

Meeting societal norms or standards does not lead to success. You can be successful no matter how you look, feel, live your life, how much money you make. It takes more than those things to be successful. Being successful means you have to be committed and dedicated. It has nothing to do with what other people think or expect out of you. Your success depends on you and you only.

In conclusion, I believe that societal standards should not be something to worry about. I am guilty of worrying about what people will think of me and I am not saying that we should never wonder if we’re doing the right thing because sometimes we should. But at the same time, sometimes we should just do what we want and not worry about the standards because in the end it is your life and not the societies or someone else’s.