{"id":245356,"date":"2025-07-02T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herway.net\/?p=245356"},"modified":"2025-06-26T22:05:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T20:05:00","slug":"things-we-all-quietly-pretend-are-normal-now-even-though-theyre-absolutely-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/things-we-all-quietly-pretend-are-normal-now-even-though-theyre-absolutely-not\/","title":{"rendered":"17 Things We All Quietly Pretend Are Normal Now, Even Though They\u2019re Absolutely Not"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oh, we\u2019re all just nodding along like it\u2019s fine when, honestly, it\u2019s kinda bananas. Modern life has gotten weird, and not in a cute, quirky way<\/strong>\u2014more like, \u201cShould we actually be worried?\u201d way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all quietly agreed to treat some truly out-there stuff as totally normal, just to keep the peace (and, let\u2019s be real, our sanity). We pretend. We scroll. We sip our overpriced coffee<\/strong> while those little red flags wave around us, pretending that nothing\u2019s off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the modern performance\u2014everyone\u2019s got their own act, and the audience is always online.<\/strong> If you\u2019ve ever caught yourself staring into space thinking, \u201cIs this real life?\u201d\u2014girl, you are so not alone. Here are 17 things we\u2019re all low-key pretending are normal now\u2026 but deep down, we know they\u2019re not. Like, at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Having Full Conversations Through Emojis and Gifs Only<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Having
\n \u00a9 Wealth Management<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s honestly wild how we went from writing entire love letters to sending a single crying-laughing face and calling it communication. Sometimes I\u2019ll look at a message thread and realize not one actual word was typed\u2014just a parade of yellow faces and random animals. My friend once responded to my emotional meltdown with three sparkly hearts and a sloth gif, and weirdly, I felt kinda seen.

We act like this is normal<\/a>\u2014like everyone just knows what a sassy side-eye gif means in context. But half the time, I\u2019m over here deciphering emoji hieroglyphics like I\u2019m in a digital escape room. We all pretend we\u2019re pros, but I swear, one wrong emoji and you\u2019re sending a totally different vibe.

Remember when \u201cLOL\u201d meant you might actually laugh? Now it\u2019s all about who can drop the most creative reaction before the chat moves on. It\u2019s fun, but also\u2014what are words even for anymore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Replying \u201cLOL\u201d When You\u2019re Not Even Smiling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Replying
\n \u00a9 YourTango<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ever caught yourself typing \u201cLOL\u201d while looking like Wednesday Addams on a Monday? I do it far too often. My group chat could be on fire, and I\u2019m just blank-faced, firing off LMAOs like a robot on autopilot.

It\u2019s become our go-to way to keep things light, even when nothing\u2019s actually funny. Sometimes I wonder if I\u2019ve just forgotten how to genuinely laugh at a text. There\u2019s this pressure to react, to match the energy\u2014so we send the digital equivalent of a polite chuckle<\/a> and move on with our evening.

Honestly, it\u2019s kind of sad. The \u201cLOL\u201d has lost all meaning. I miss the days when making someone laugh out loud was actually a goal, not a reflex. Now, it\u2019s just another way we pretend everything\u2019s fine, even when it\u2019s not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Being Constantly Available\u2014Yet Emotionally Checked Out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Being
\n \u00a9 Delamere Health<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s this weird expectation that we should answer texts, emails, DMs, and Slack messages like our lives depend on it. My phone pings at every hour, and somehow I\u2019m supposed to be enthusiastic and insightful on command. But real talk: most days, I\u2019m just existing in \u201creply\u201d mode, not actually present.

Emotionally, I\u2019m somewhere between \u201cplease don\u2019t ask me anything deep\u201d and \u201cI need a nap from existing.\u201d It\u2019s like we\u2019re all performing availability\u2014showing up digitally, checked out mentally. The stuff we actually care about? Gets drowned out by constant notifications.

If you\u2019ve ever stared at your phone, knowing you owe people feelings but just\u2026 can\u2019t, you\u2019re not alone. This isn\u2019t connection. It\u2019s modern emotional<\/a> hide and seek, and it\u2019s exhausting. When did being reachable turn into being emotionally invisible?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Calling Anything Under $100 \u201cBasically Free\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Calling
\n \u00a9 Portland Monthly<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remember when spending $20 used to feel like a big deal? Now, thanks to influencer culture and wild inflation, anything under $100 is \u201cbasically free\u201d\u2014like you\u2019re practically saving money by buying that $80 serum. My friend told me she got a \u201cdeal\u201d on jeans for $75 and honestly? I nodded like that was totally reasonable.

I\u2019ve caught myself rationalizing $14 shipping or a $7 oat milk latte like I\u2019m making responsible life choices. It\u2019s a mental trick: as long as it\u2019s not triple digits, it\u2019s fine. But let\u2019s be real, those \u201clittle\u201d purchases add up fast.

We joke about it, but deep down, there\u2019s this weird guilt. We know money doesn\u2019t grow on trees, but pretending it\u2019s all \u201cbasically free\u201d helps us cope with how pricey life has gotten. Retail therapy, but with math denial!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Saying \u201cNo Worries!\u201d Even When There Were, In Fact, Several Worries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Saying
\n \u00a9 LinkedIn<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The number of times I\u2019ve typed \u201cno worries!\u201d while very much having several\u2014at least seven\u2014worries is truly impressive. It\u2019s the catch-all phrase for keeping things breezy, even if your brain is screaming on mute.

It\u2019s like a social shield:<\/a> you don\u2019t want to seem high-maintenance, so you wave off your actual stress and play it cool. Sometimes I wish there was an honest auto-reply that said, “I have so many worries but I\u2019m faking it for everyone\u2019s sake.”

We all do it. It\u2019s how we survive group projects, late replies, and flaky friends. \u201cNo worries!\u201d is the modern \u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d but with extra sparkle. Maybe one day we\u2019ll all just say how we actually feel, but until then, I\u2019ll keep smiling and typing it while my brain does gymnastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Treating Burnout Like a Badge of Honor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Treating
\n \u00a9 LOL: Life Of Leo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If overworking were an Olympic sport, half my friends would have gold medals. Somehow, bragging about being exhausted has become the new humblebrag.<\/a> \u201cI only slept four hours!\u201d is said like it\u2019s a fun fact, not a cry for help.

I used to think being busy meant I was important. But honestly, it just means I\u2019m running on caffeine and adrenaline, barely holding it together. We post about our chaos, like it\u2019s something to be proud of\u2014when really, it\u2019s just a mess.

Burnout shouldn\u2019t be the goal, but we treat it like a personality trait. There\u2019s power in rest and saying \u201cI\u2019m done for today.\u201d If you\u2019re tired, you don\u2019t need to apologize. Taking care of yourself isn\u2019t lazy; it\u2019s necessary. Let\u2019s stop acting like being worn out is the only way to be \u201cdoing enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Acting Like Scrolling Your Phone Until 2AM Is \u201cWinding Down\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Acting
\n \u00a9 Mammoth mattress<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s something oddly comforting about lying in bed, mindlessly scrolling through TikToks and reels until your eyelids protest. I tell myself it\u2019s \u201cme time,\u201d but then my screen time report shames me every Sunday. The birds start chirping and my brain is fried, yet somehow I think I\u2019m winding down.

The reality? I\u2019m just numbing out, distracting myself from that looming to-do list and the weird fear of missing out. It\u2019s like collective insomnia with a built-in dopamine drip. My friends and I joke about our \u201cnightly scroll,\u201d but we know it\u2019s not actually restful.

We pretend it\u2019s self-care, but it\u2019s more like digital avoidance. Sleep is precious, but apparently memes are even more so. I\u2019ll try to put my phone down earlier\u2014right after I check one more video. Just one more, I swear!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Casually Accepting That All Our Apps Are Spying On Us<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Casually
\n \u00a9 BBC<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You mention oat milk once, and suddenly every ad is about barista-grade blenders or vegan caf\u00e9s. We all joke about our phones listening, but deep down, it\u2019s unnerving. I\u2019ll say something out loud, and three seconds later, Instagram is recommending matching mugs I never searched for.

It\u2019s become this weird background noise in life. We don\u2019t even flinch when our digital footprints start following us around the internet. \u201cHaha, the algorithm knows me better than my mom!\u201d we say, while quietly wondering if we should put tape over our webcams.

Honestly, none of this is normal.<\/a> We just laugh it off because what else can we do? At this point, my phone knows more about my hopes, dreams, and skincare routine than my closest friends. Wild times, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Equating \u201cBusy\u201d With \u201cSuccessful\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Equating
\n \u00a9 Forbes<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every time someone asks how I am, my reflex is to say \u201cbusy!\u201d like it\u2019s a compliment. Our calendars are jammed, our inboxes never empty\u2014somehow, that\u2019s supposed to mean we\u2019re winning at life. I used to feel embarrassed if I had a quiet weekend; now, it feels scandalous not to be double-booked.

But all that hustle? It\u2019s not the same as being fulfilled. There\u2019s this sneaky pressure to wear \u201cbusy\u201d like a designer label. If you\u2019re not frantic, are you even trying?

I wish we could normalize slow days, empty spaces, and unfinished lists. Real success doesn\u2019t always look like chaos. Sometimes it\u2019s just having time to breathe. If you\u2019re busy all the time, maybe it\u2019s worth asking: busy for what, and for whom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Working From Bed and Calling It \u201cCozy Productivity\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Working
\n \u00a9 Fast Company<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Working from bed sounds like a dream until you realize your spine has actual complaints. I went from \u201cI\u2019ll just answer one email\u201d to basically living in a tangle of sheets and chargers. My idea of productivity now involves pajama meetings and coffee stains on my pillowcase.

Some days, I feel like a genius for skipping the commute. Other days, I wonder if I\u2019ll ever wear real pants again. The line between work and rest is a smudge, and I pretend that\u2019s completely healthy.

It\u2019s not all bad\u2014I\u2019m a fan of cozy. But at this point, my bed is my office, my dining table, and my existential crisis headquarters. Who needs an expensive desk chair when you have old comforters and questionable posture?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Pretending Social Media Likes Equal Real-Life Validation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Pretending
\n \u00a9 HerZindagi<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The mini dopamine rush from a flood of Instagram likes feels great\u2014until it doesn\u2019t. I\u2019ve posted brunch pics, outfit selfies, and vacation sunsets, chasing that tiny thrill when people double-tap. But after the buzz fades, I\u2019m still left with me, my phone, and a sense of emptiness.

It\u2019s easy to believe the numbers mean something real. The validation is instant, but it doesn\u2019t actually fill the gaps. Sometimes it even makes them feel bigger.

We all act like it\u2019s normal to tie self-worth to an algorithm, but it\u2019s a hollow trade. Getting real validation\u2014connection, support, honest compliments\u2014takes way more effort, but it\u2019s so much deeper. Social media likes are nice, but they\u2019re not the answer. And that\u2019s something I have to remind myself every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Using \u201cSelf-Care\u201d as a Reason to Avoid Everything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Using
\n \u00a9 The New York Times<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t get me wrong\u2014I love a sheet mask as much as anyone, but sometimes \u201cself-care\u201d turns into \u201cavoid everything and hope it fixes itself.\u201d I\u2019ve chosen bubble baths over confronting awkward emails more times than I can count. My \u201cto-do\u201d list is basically a graveyard for tasks I\u2019ve buried under lavender-scented escape.

It\u2019s easy to justify: \u201cI\u2019m taking care of myself!\u201d But if your version of self-care is hiding from life, maybe it\u2019s not the healing moment you think it is. I\u2019ll spend hours pampering my skin and exactly zero minutes on that one call I\u2019m dreading.

Self-care is important, but so is dealing with the stuff that stresses us out. There\u2019s a difference between recharging and running away. Sometimes the best care is facing things, even if you do it with a face mask on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Treating Group Chats as Life Support Systems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Treating
\n \u00a9 Bored Panda<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If my group chat ever got leaked, I\u2019d have to leave the country. Those chats are sacred\u2014pure chaos, memes galore, emotional support, and way too many unread messages. I might vanish from texting for days, but as soon as my friends start spiraling, everyone jumps in with gifs and questionable advice.

We act like it\u2019s totally normal to rely on virtual group hugs to get through actual crises. Sometimes I wonder if we\u2019d survive without the daily check-ins and random pictures of people\u2019s dinners.

But honestly? Group chats are a lifeline. The energy, the honesty, the absolute nonsense\u2014it\u2019s all part of what keeps us going. Sure, it\u2019s messy and overwhelming, but it\u2019s also comfort in the chaos. Just don\u2019t ask me to catch up on all 287 messages, okay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Needing a Full Week to Recover From One Social Event<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Needing
\n \u00a9 Introvert, Dear<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I swear, one dinner party and I need to be placed in emotional quarantine for a week. My friends think I\u2019m being dramatic, but after three hours of being \u201con,\u201d my social battery is flatter than my hair on a humid day. I love people, but wow, do they wear me out.

We all quietly act like this is just how it is. Canceling plans is now self-care, and recovery time is non-negotiable. Who decided that being social should be an extreme sport?

It\u2019s okay to need a break. I\u2019ll be hiding under my blanket fort, eating snacks, and letting my brain reboot. If you text me, expect a delayed reply\u2014I\u2019m busy restoring my chill. Social events are great, but so is alone time. No shame in needing both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Trying to \u201cOptimize\u201d Every Second of Your Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Trying
\n \u00a9 – Cluster Prosper<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Productivity culture has us convinced we should be squeezing juice out of every minute. I used to walk for fresh air\u2014now, if I\u2019m not learning a language, meal-prepping, and listening to a finance podcast all at once, I feel like a slacker. Even rest is something to maximize.

We\u2019re told we can hack our lives into perfection with enough apps and color-coded calendars. It\u2019s like we turned our brains into little start-ups, always trying to be \u201con.\u201d

Honestly, it\u2019s exhausting. Not everything needs to be optimized. Sometimes it\u2019s okay to just exist, breathe, and, you know, stare at the ceiling. You\u2019re not a machine. Perfection isn\u2019t the goal\u2014being alive is. Take it from someone who\u2019s tried to organize her way to happiness and ended up alphabetizing her snack drawer instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. Smiling and Saying \u201cI\u2019m good!\u201d When You\u2019re Actually One Inconvenience Away From a Full Meltdown<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Smiling
\n \u00a9 IconScout<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If I had a dollar for every time I said, \u201cI\u2019m good!\u201d while internally panicking, I\u2019d be on a beach right now. We\u2019re so conditioned to keep it together, to smile through the chaos and never let anyone see the cracks. Someone asks how we are, and without missing a beat, it\u2019s, \u201cI\u2019m fine!\u201d

Meanwhile, my brain is running scenarios, my coffee is cold, and one more minor disaster might just send me over the edge. But vulnerability? In public? That\u2019s a no from me.

The pressure to hold it all together is real. I get it\u2014it\u2019s easier to fake chill than risk being \u201ctoo much.\u201d But sometimes I wish we\u2019d just admit when we\u2019re crumbling. Maybe we\u2019d realize we\u2019re all barely holding it together. And that\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Quietly Comparing Your Entire Life to Someone Else\u2019s Highlight Reel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Quietly
\n \u00a9 My Good Brain<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Scrolling through someone\u2019s engagement photos while eating cereal for dinner? Been there. It\u2019s so easy to slip into comparing your real life\u2014messy, unpredictable, totally human\u2014to someone else\u2019s curated perfection.<\/a> That highlight reel is addictive, even though it\u2019s not the whole story.

One day, I\u2019m proud of my new socks; the next, I\u2019m questioning all my choices because a stranger bought a house at 25. Social media is a master class in selective sharing. None of us really has it together as much as we pretend.

The truth is, we rarely see anyone\u2019s struggles, just their wins. If your life feels less shiny sometimes, remember: it\u2019s not a contest. We\u2019re all just figuring it out\u2014one imperfect, messy day at a time. Everyone\u2019s journey is different, and that\u2019s actually kind of beautiful.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oh, we\u2019re all just nodding along like it\u2019s fine when, honestly, it\u2019s kinda bananas. Modern life has gotten weird, and not in a cute, quirky way\u2014more like, \u201cShould we actually be worried?\u201d way. We\u2019ve all quietly agreed to treat some truly out-there stuff as totally normal, just to keep the peace (and, let\u2019s be real,…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":245355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29814],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-245356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":29814,"label":"Stories"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/herway.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/17-Things-We-All-Quietly-Pretend-Are-Normal-Now-Even-Though-Theyre-Absolutely-Not-1024x532.jpg",1024,532,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Owen Scott","author_link":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/author\/hase\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":29814,"name":"Stories","slug":"stories","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":29814,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":29651,"count":242,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":29814,"category_count":242,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Stories","category_nicename":"stories","category_parent":29651}],"tag_info":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245356"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256355,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245356\/revisions\/256355"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/245355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/herway.net\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}