The Pressure to Always Be “Okay”

Nowadays, everyone seems to be superficially perfect: superb grades, exquisite vacations, and a stellar personality. I’ve personally dealt with comparing myself to others, from the root of wanting better for myself. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized; was it really for me? Or am I doing this for other people? 

We have pressures all around us, silently encouraging us to do certain activities that we don’t really enjoy. A personal example: pickleball! A trending and fun sport, somewhat like tennis, trending all around the world, and in the suburbs of Chicago. Entering the suburban courts is almost like stepping into the courts of Wimbledon, with fierce and experienced players that just recently became pickleball pros. With a paddle in hand and hopes that I’m on the same level as the people around me. It seems as if I need to work on the strength I put into each hit and my footwork.

But when I really think about it, the pressure is not even about pickleball. It’s about the feeling of having to succeed at everything I try. Instead of just having fun, laughing at missed shots, and learning slowly, I worry about how I look to other people. That pressure can turn something enjoyable into something stressful. It reminds me that we do things sometimes not to make ourselves happy but to seem like we are keeping up with everyone else.

Nobody is actually “okay” all the time, even if they look like they are. We all have our insecurities, bad days and times when we feel we are lagging behind. We need to remind ourselves that we don’t have to be perfect at every sport, class, hobby, or social situation.  Instead of trying to prove that we’re always okay, we should focus on what makes us feel healthy, supported, and at peace.

-Rami Abdul Azim, Founder