Thank you so much for your words Rachel! And for being a subscriber ♥︎ We really are born in the wrong time sadly. I hear you, totally. I have been through the same, and in some ways still am. I wish to see the end of capitalism because it is so deeply inhuman and unnatural. I am glad you have found a way to exist that feels peaceful to you ♥︎
Every single one of us who rejects the capitalist machine is a small act of revolution. The more this spreads the faster it will fall. Thank you for these words.
I love capitalism, it has done wonders for my family and millions of others in Africa. I understand some don't seem to appreciate the value of ending the poverty and starvation of Africans or even Indians. However, billions in those vast continents do. 🙏🏾❤️
It's tricky to reject a system that you are forced live within. And so it becomes a delicate balancing act. "To be in this world, but not OF it"...said someone I can't remember. I used to be very ambitious, but then it was shattered and all dreams taken away from me. Overall I'm grateful for it. But it wasn't easy...and yes, I too have noticed that deep healing coincided with more acceptance and the eradication of personal ambition.
Thank you for expressing all the words I have never been able to. Growing up South Asian, it wasn't actually a big deal in my family when I said I wasn't ambitious. But modern-day feminism thought differently. I always felt like I was lacking in some way. Like maybe I just haven't found "that thing" yet which I will become ambitious about. The truth is, the only thing I've ever been ambitious about is being loving. Not sure that can be called ambition though; for me, it's just a state of being. Very few people have understood this and articulated it as well as you have. Thank you!
I feel this so so deeply! I recently told someone that I don’t believe in working hard, I believe in working intentionally and in harmony with my body and how I feel that day. I can’t wait to share this with her with a text, “This is what I meant!” Thank you for sharing.
Beautifully said. Wish I'd had this advice in my early 20s. I also thought that once I'd gained all the accolades and approvals of capitalist society, I could then turn around and start being helpful to others. Dead wrong, because in becoming part of capitalist culture, it turned me into someone I didn't recognize. And once I'd conformed to its demands, I couldn't really remember goodness much less access it for the benefit of others. I gradually became a twisted, miserable, selfish shithead in order to maintain my place (or so I thought) above others. Because that is essentially at its core what capitalism rewards, even as it pretends that its final goal is altruism. It's been a really, really long road back to the notions you are writing about here. Thanks for the reminder and may you be blessed.
"Ambition requires you to sacrifice the things that matter most in life - people, love, peace - to achieve something that matters in the eyes of capitalism, so that at the very end of that achievement you can circle back to: people, love and peace. Exhausted and burned out."
I don't subscribe to the grind but you captured it so perfectly with these words that I had to take a beat after reading this and I understand myself a little bit better now too, thank you.
“We as humans are deeply cyclical in nature”, yes! I’ll get a wave of industriousness but to expect that from myself every day/week of the year? Who and what am I doing that for? Ambition leads to competition, which is a race to the top of a mountain that doesn’t have a top. It’s a striving after the wind…. Reaching our personal potential is a great feeling and does feel fulfilling. I just don’t think it looks like the endless optimization of one’s self in search of finally being content with one’s self.
Thank you so much for your words Rachel! And for being a subscriber ♥︎ We really are born in the wrong time sadly. I hear you, totally. I have been through the same, and in some ways still am. I wish to see the end of capitalism because it is so deeply inhuman and unnatural. I am glad you have found a way to exist that feels peaceful to you ♥︎
Every single one of us who rejects the capitalist machine is a small act of revolution. The more this spreads the faster it will fall. Thank you for these words.
Thank you for doing this with me!
I love capitalism, it has done wonders for my family and millions of others in Africa. I understand some don't seem to appreciate the value of ending the poverty and starvation of Africans or even Indians. However, billions in those vast continents do. 🙏🏾❤️
This is has absolutely been true for me too. Thanks for articulating it all so well. I think this is my favourite thing you've written. Thank you.
This means the world! Thank you Nathalie!
It's tricky to reject a system that you are forced live within. And so it becomes a delicate balancing act. "To be in this world, but not OF it"...said someone I can't remember. I used to be very ambitious, but then it was shattered and all dreams taken away from me. Overall I'm grateful for it. But it wasn't easy...and yes, I too have noticed that deep healing coincided with more acceptance and the eradication of personal ambition.
Haha that is a Bibleverse actually :D
Thank you for reading and being here and sharing your thoughts with me Angela!
Wow, this resonates so much, thank you for sharing and putting into words what I wasn't quite able to formulate yet!
I am so glad it resonates with you Paula!
this was beautiful and very relatable. it makes me happy that more of us are rejecting the respectability politics
It makes me happy too :)
Thank you for expressing all the words I have never been able to. Growing up South Asian, it wasn't actually a big deal in my family when I said I wasn't ambitious. But modern-day feminism thought differently. I always felt like I was lacking in some way. Like maybe I just haven't found "that thing" yet which I will become ambitious about. The truth is, the only thing I've ever been ambitious about is being loving. Not sure that can be called ambition though; for me, it's just a state of being. Very few people have understood this and articulated it as well as you have. Thank you!
Hmmm I love that...the ambition to be loving :) How beautiful. Honestly the only thing worth being ambitious over in my opinion!
Thank you for being here Nida! Sending you much love!
I feel this so so deeply! I recently told someone that I don’t believe in working hard, I believe in working intentionally and in harmony with my body and how I feel that day. I can’t wait to share this with her with a text, “This is what I meant!” Thank you for sharing.
Yes yes yes! I love this! And I am glad the words found you at the the right time! Thank you for sharing this with your world as well!
Beautifully said. Wish I'd had this advice in my early 20s. I also thought that once I'd gained all the accolades and approvals of capitalist society, I could then turn around and start being helpful to others. Dead wrong, because in becoming part of capitalist culture, it turned me into someone I didn't recognize. And once I'd conformed to its demands, I couldn't really remember goodness much less access it for the benefit of others. I gradually became a twisted, miserable, selfish shithead in order to maintain my place (or so I thought) above others. Because that is essentially at its core what capitalism rewards, even as it pretends that its final goal is altruism. It's been a really, really long road back to the notions you are writing about here. Thanks for the reminder and may you be blessed.
We all wish we knew this earlier don't we! Sending love x
This is beautiful! I think we could all use a little more audacity. I'm going to carry that word with me more.
Me too! ❤️
"Ambition requires you to sacrifice the things that matter most in life - people, love, peace - to achieve something that matters in the eyes of capitalism, so that at the very end of that achievement you can circle back to: people, love and peace. Exhausted and burned out."
I don't subscribe to the grind but you captured it so perfectly with these words that I had to take a beat after reading this and I understand myself a little bit better now too, thank you.
This makes me so happy! Thank you for letting me know how this impacted you Leisha!!! Sending you love!
Wow, Relatedable!!! Thank you for sharing! <3
Thank you for reading and leaving love on the page ♥︎
Hell yes!
Yaaaaas 🔥
“We as humans are deeply cyclical in nature”, yes! I’ll get a wave of industriousness but to expect that from myself every day/week of the year? Who and what am I doing that for? Ambition leads to competition, which is a race to the top of a mountain that doesn’t have a top. It’s a striving after the wind…. Reaching our personal potential is a great feeling and does feel fulfilling. I just don’t think it looks like the endless optimization of one’s self in search of finally being content with one’s self.
Whole heartedly agree!
Bravo darling 👏
So well written, and so incredibly true. Thank you for this. I needed this message now more than ever.
I am so glad it came to you at the right time!
I need to print this and frame it: “The more I heal, the less ambitious I become.”
If you do, please show me 😍