WHAT ARE YOUR COPING MECHANISMS?



In the words of Hawal Lawal, it's not me that's you people will run mad

I watched this really funny video by the content creator Hawal a while back and it just stuck in my head. In it, she said anytime she hears that someone her age just bought a Benz or something outrageously expensive, she immediately concludes it’s money laundering… for her own sanity(even if its not true) "Las las, she just started life na".

Now while that is funny, there’s actually a lesson in it for us. Because whether you admit it or not, we’ve all experienced peer pressure in one form or another. It’s not jealousy to see others doing well and then feel a type of way about yourself. I’ll tell you for free, that feeling is normal. In fact, if you’ve never felt it before… are you even human?

But when that pressure starts rising, what do you do? When the reality of how far behind you feel hits you, what do you remind yourself of? How do you handle it?

I was talking to a friend today, and she mentioned something that honestly made me laugh. She said she was scrolling through Pinterest and saw this insanely beautiful outfit. She paused, stared at it for a while, already imagining how it wouldn’t look the same on her given her lack of feature. Then her roommate looked at her and said, “Na AI”

And just like that, peace returned.

Her coping mechanism is simple. Anything that feels too perfect, too out of reach, or like it will make her question herself is not real. The people wearing those flawless outfits with killer features? AI models. Problem solved.

And honestly, I get it.

Dearest reader, sometimes you need these small, harmless coping mechanisms to protect your mind. Not everything deserves access to your self-worth. Not everything you see is a standard you must meet.

You are not the problem.

So give yourself grace. Remind yourself that you’re not behind, you’re growing. That truth stands regardless of what anyone else is doing.

Are we clear?

Now tell me, what’s that one funny or slightly delusional coping mechanism you use when peer pressure shows up in its own unique way?



@favvy_Okwansđź–¤.

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