I hate how this generation romanticises “hustle culture.” There’s nothing glamorous about having to “rise and grind” nor is it normal to spend most of your days working with little to no break before going home to sleep and repeat. Life is meant to be lived, not spent trying to survive. I understand that challenges provide opportunities for improvement and some hardships can be “wake up calls” for some, but people who romanticise UNNECESSARY struggle are strange to me.
Every day for 2 almost 3 years straight I’ve been riding the “rise and grind” wave. Not because I want to but because I have no choice. If I want better then I have to work for it, but being apart of several different marginalised demographics I have to work ten times as hard because resources aren’t easily accessible. I don’t want to “rise and grind” every day. I’m tired of struggling and I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.
So many people don’t understand how lucky they are to be in safe environments with a support system that consists of friends and family. To have a well paying job with stable income. To have a house, food security and access to healthcare. A lot of these things are considered “privileges” when they shouldn’t be because they’re human rights everyone is entitled to, but they’re privileges nonetheless because how difficult they are to receive and maintain them.
As much as I hate having to rise and grind, I do it because I won’t stop at anything to give myself the life I desire. It’ll take time but I know it’s possible regardless of my circumstances. These days I often find myself dreaming about the life I’m trying to create; stress free, comfortable and productive. I don’t feel the need to live above my means, I just want to be content, feel safe, and experience what life without struggle is like.
