Being annoyed is the price we pay for connection.
"Somewhere along the way, our fear of discomfort turned into hyper-independence... But when our boundaries become too rigid, they stop protecting us and start isolating us."
I don’t have Instagram on my phone, but I check it from my desktop every few days. I like being off of it, though it does come at the price of not having grown this community as much as I could— or “should.”
I stumbled across an Instagram post from a therapist, which was very Gen X of me, but this one really resonated. I texted it to my friends, who agreed that it felt particularly apt as it relates to our post-Covid condition, the overuse of phones and technology, and also our life stage now in our early thirties.
For those who can’t click through to view the carousel above, which is 100% the work of Francesca Tighinean, the gist is this:
Being annoyed is the price we pay for connection and community. It can mean sharing space when it’s inconvenient, showing up when you’d rather stay home, or hosting when you’re tired.
Somewhere along the way, our fear of discomfort turned into hyper-independence— strict boundaries, perfect routines, and no interruptions. But when our boundaries become t…