Breaking Things Off With Our "Normal"

Endlessly we tell ourselves to keep pushing forward - that once we fulfill a certain goal, once we achieve something and prove all of them wrong - then we’ll be happy; then we can rest. Despite this, we find ourselves at the end of the line with no more than another box ticked off our bucket list and an irking feeling of emptiness. Before you know it, we’re yet again aimlessly searching for something, anything, which is able to distract us and keep us occupied from ourselves.

We are only human, and as humans, we always seem to be curious about one thing or another -- except when it comes to ourselves. We drown our minds in overwhelming stimulus to keep our thoughts away from our existence. We will eventually come back into ourselves - those times of recollection happen on our own terms, sometimes a little overdue, and it is important to listen to them when they appear. We are still learning about who we are, and it’s integral (more than ever) to be kind to ourselves.

As always, BTS is a great example for this. Their work, starting in 2013 and never pausing until August of 2019, has made some exponential breakthroughs. These milestones have led to so many positive outcomes in the music industry that it’s far too easy to get caught up in perceiving them as their achievements. Much of this is even in how they are advertised (‘the record-breakers of’, ‘the first (K-Pop) group to”, etc), but at the end of the day, they, as all of us do, have these moments of feeling lost after the whirlwind of events in their lives.

It’s just an assumption, but I believe BTS’ brief break was done as a way to clear their minds, especially after how hectic their schedule was this past year. A new album, award shows, multiple appearances on television, continuous travelling and the extended leg of their tour. Who wouldn’t feel like they needed time to themselves? In many ways, this relates to what was previously mentioned: BTS never stopped dreaming and had no boundaries in terms of what they wanted to become. However, the emotional baggage that went along with them only increased. In this way, the break was able to help them find themselves in ways they were unable to for so long.

I believe we are best able to flourish in times like these: a period in which we don’t know where, when, how or if we are going in a certain direction. Find rationality in your own irrationality; heal your soul; find yourself. Love yourself. It’s so easy to find beauty in the things and people around you, but how much more beautiful would it be to find a fascination in your own self? BTS leads by example; they are able to sympathize with the people of today in ways not many can, and one thing which has become evident through their music, is that they are always doing their best to implement the advice they give to us in their own lives.

We’ve seen it in the improvement in attitude Jimin’s had with his self-doubt during the Wing’s tour, and with more recent footage of the Love Yourself tour, and the emergence of his slightly more lenient judgement. With the break, we can see the importance of having time for oneself, the fun of having access to recreational activities, and at the end of the day, just being happy. While encouraging self-love upon their audience, BTS grows with us along the way. Silence: In the Age of Noise is a book related to this topic — the idea of finding oneself in such a world where everything seems to become ever-more hectic, ever-more filled with things to do — and puts emphasis on the importance of finding a way not to have something to do.

Breaks help us, quite literally, break away from our schedules. They allow us to be free from the ongoing thoughts we’ve been having and are important when trying to understand ourselves. During a time where we put so much emphasis on growing outward, it is easy to forget we need to flourish within ourselves and this heavily influences our ability for a healthy mental and physical lifestyle. Many people have said and heard this a lot, but remember to always make time for yourself. I hope this blog contributed to the deeper consideration and appreciation of doing so.

Even if cliché, this shines a new light on the quote, “To find yourself, you must first lose yourself,” (Jared Leto).

Written By: Ale

Edited By: LJ

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