It seems like all you hear about these days is people trying to be their “best selves.”
People listen to gurus, take yoga, enroll in courses, and fill their shelves with self-help books in order to help them achieve a happy and balanced life.
There are a variety of reasons that people find themselves living unhappy lives and psychotherapist Johan Deckmann has seen it all.
Having spent so much time with people who have so many problems, Deckmann seems to have become desensitized to the human plight and just how hard it can be to create change.
This belief that one is the cause of their own problems and they should just solve it and get over it, is the subject of his humorous series.
He has now delved into the art world to create mock self-help book covers.
“My work is a portrait of human failure and self-sabotage,” Deckmann told Bored Panda. “But my underlying motive is to mirror my audience and motivate change. I think my work resonates with people because many people in the western world are raised to believe that they are victims of their surroundings. I show through my works that they are not.”
Deckmann says he hopes his work will motivate change by poking fun at the fears and anxieties people have.
“I meet many people who suffer from a circumstance that they themselves have created but they choose not to take action,” he added. “I think it’s tragicomic that underneath our frustration and self-slavery lies this beautiful opportunity.”
Clearly, Deckmann is brimming with compassion and understanding… not. Well, at least his art isn’t.
But he claims that there’s no judgment.
“I simply believe in the power of honesty. I am not judgemental in my works. I simply aim to reflect the individual person or human behavior as a whole, ” he told Indy 100.
Whether or not you find it funny is objective but one thing his work definitely is, is honest… brutally honest.
It pokes fun at how people distract themselves.
And do this so they won’t have to deal with their problems.
He also illustrates the modern world and how it affects humans.
Social media plays a role in this.
It allows us to present an image of ourselves that we want other people to see, while our true selves are often very different.
This next one is actually funny to me.
It plays on how we use the silent treatment as a weapon to punish.
Wouldn’t it be great if it could protect us in a streetfight?
Deckmann also attempts to make light of serious diseases like alcoholism. Haha, people drink their sorrows away. So funny… right?
So many people believe about themselves what others believe about them.
But other people don’t truly know us.
Only we truly know ourselves and should live our lives accordingly.
Some people are so focused on making sure they “follow the rules.” Doing so allow them to have the self-esteem of being “good” and “hardworking.”
But sometimes this prevents us from doing things that bring us joy.
And what’s the point of living a long healthy life if it isn’t a joyful one?
Some people run marathons or fill every moment of their waking lives with productivity and activity. But some of us like to sleep in our free time. This book offers 1001 reasons to do that.
It’s important to speak up when you aren’t sure about or don’t quite understand something.
People will often stay silent out of fear or shame that they don’t know all the answers.
But it’s hard for us to learn this way and there is no shame in admitting that you don’t know everything.
If you want different results, you have to do something different.
Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
That might be an exaggeration but doing the same thing over and over definitely won’t get you different results.
Self-confidence is crucial. It can make or break us. Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right. So, if you think your life is going somewhere or not… you’re probably right! What will you choose to believe?
Getting hurt or disappointed by people you love or care about is a fact of life as a human.
But sometimes we are so afraid of getting hurt again that we build walls up to protect us.
Yes, this protects us from getting hurt again but it also prevents us from creating meaningful relationships that will bring us joy.
Most of us want grand things in our life.
But sometimes it takes time and effort to get there.
One question that is so often pondered is how to enjoy the journey of life on your way to getting those grand things.
Never EVER let anyone tell you that you are too hard to love.
Not even a psychotherapist who creates “art.” Everyone has their issues and life is about working them out.
We’re told to have confidence.
We’re told to believe in ourselves.
Then we’re told to question both of those things.
Sometimes we can be in relationships and still feel alone.
Usually, those are the wrong relationships for us. But it’s important to learn how to not feel lonely even if you are alone.
No one has it all together. Not even your psychotherapist. So why do we all try to pretend that we do?
Always speak your truth. Even if it makes others uncomfortable. There’s nothing more important than being yourself.
When we take the leap to follow our dreams, we take a risk.
But the regret you’ll feel for not trying far outweighs that risk.
Even if you do fail, you’ll have learned something and you won’t have regret.
Even people in the closest relationships withhold things from each other. This can cause damage, hurt and miscommunication. That’s why honesty is always the best policy.
Some people just drift through life. And that may work for some. But some of us like to have goals and a plan to reach those goals. Sometimes having that gives us a sense of control over our lives.
Epiphanies. Sometimes they can come and go so quickly. One minute we have all the answers and the poof… they’re gone.
Some people stay at the job they hate or in a bad relationship for years before they make a change.
Change can be scary.
But it’s very rewarding to break free of those cycles and go after what you deserve.
People escape through a variety of ways.
All just to avoid their problems.
But in the end, your problems are still there.
Some jobs will suck every possible thing out of you if you allow it to.
Corporations are especially good at that.
Make sure you take time to be a happy human.
Some people are so obsessed with enlightenment, getting better, or finding the answers to life that they don’t stop to live.
You can go on searching forever.
Sometimes you just have to be content with the fact that there might not be an answer.
So that’s Deckmann’s take on the humor of self-help and making difficult life changes.
You can learn more about his work at: deckmann.com | Facebook | Instagram.
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