Capitalism is draining us. Of time. Of joy. Of presence. Of the ability to just be. It’s created a world where if you’re not constantly producing something. Content, income, labor, value. you’re seen as lazy, unworthy, falling behind. And that mindset has seeped into everything. Our relationships. Our sense of self. Even how we rest.

We’ve been sold this idea that hustling is the highest form of living. That your worth is tied to your output. That if you’re tired, you’re not trying hard enough. But really, we’re just burnt out. Not because we’re doing too little, but because we’re doing too much of the wrong thing. Chasing someone else’s idea of success instead of living in our own rhythm.

Capitalism doesn’t teach appreciation, it teaches accumulation. It doesn’t value joy, it values productivity. And that’s why so many of us feel like we’re moving through life on autopilot, missing the moments that actually make life beautiful. The slowness. The sweetness. The stillness. The ordinary magic of simply being alive and breathing and having the audacity to enjoy it without earning it first.

Our existence is so much more than a job title or a paycheck or a busy calendar. We weren’t made to just work, pay bills, and die. We were made to connect, to care, to laugh until our stomachs hurt, to rest without guilt, to be human. And maybe the most rebellious thing we can do in a system designed to exploit us… is to slow down, to choose ease, to be soft with ourselves and each other and to remember that we are already enough, even when we’re are just BEINGGGG.

People should be able to work a regular job and live a full, decent life. Hustling shouldn’t be the baseline for survival. It should be optional, something you choose if you’re aiming for more, not something you’re forced into just to make ends meet. All this shit is a direct result of unchecked capitalism. Driven by corporate greed and a political system that prioritizes profit over people.

Wages have stagnated while the cost of living skyrockets. Healthcare, housing, education. All are treated as luxury goods in a country with more than enough resources to provide for everyone. Meanwhile, billion dollar corporations continue to underpay workers while raking in record profits, and our elected leaders accept donations from those same corporations to keep the cycle going.

Hustle culture should be a choice, not a requirement for survival. Wanting more and working toward your dreams is beautiful. But being forced to hustle just to stay afloat? That’s systemic failure, not personal responsibility.

We deserve better. We deserve rest. We deserve lives that are full, not just busy.