A lil’ too much of this, but not that
#210/366
Two days ago, I received a direct message on Instagram implying that I may have focused "a little too much of this, but not that" for my bookstagram. It hit hard, especially since it came from someone I admire.
I responded by taking time for introspection. Isolate and reflect. After work, I packed my tote bag and headed to the bookstore to clear my mind. There’s almost nothing that a stroll in a bookstore could not cure!
That evening, after interacting with a few people made me realize how toxicity can arise in any community. You think it doesn’t exist in bookish community? Well they do. It's not the space or the people; it's about me being strong with my personal boundaries and self-awareness.
I recognized that my hurt stemmed from letting external opinions affect me deeply.
It wasn’t about doing too much work, more of this and not that, but rather about pursuing what feels authentic to me. I chose not to conform to what algorithms or society thinks we should do. We are different, and it takes time to find our own footing. Doing things differently doesn’t harm others; it’s usually the other way round. People sometimes struggle with others who’s doing things differently.
To the person who silently observed and critiqued me so casually, thank you. If you haven’t decided to drop those words to me, I wouldn’t have been prompted for a reflection and encouraged my to continue exploring what resonates with me. I enjoyed that. It’s unusual to see someone diverge from the norm. “A lil’ too much of this, but not that” wasn’t as bad. And for that, thank you!
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