Author: Teo Wihi

  • The    illusion of    labels

    The illusion of labels

    Between work, reading, painting, and drawing—(unfortunately, there’s never enough time in the day to do everything I love)—I also try to stay connected to the world. I watch the news, scroll through YouTube, browse Instagram. I love being amazed, shocked, or inspired by something new—whether it’s a fresh painting technique, wise words, a perfectly crafted lipstick ad, or even just a cat making those adorable wiwiwi sounds when eating or cuddling. It seems like, just like many others, I’m constantly searching—consuming—content that resonates with my soul, my thoughts, my way of seeing the world.

    Sure, I could stick to purely educational content. But wait—who says I have to? I’m careful not to fall into the endless scrolling trap, where hours pass before I even find that one-minute video that was actually worth watching. Instead, I search for specific topics on Instagram or TikTok, with more intent. YouTube makes this easier—it curates recommendations that align perfectly with my interests. Lately, my feed is filled with videos about spirituality, manifestation, relaxing jazz music, personal development, and—perhaps the most fascinating—how scammers get caught. Essentially, my world revolves around psychology, technology, and spirituality.

    Today, I stumbled upon a video where someone beautifully recited a passage by an author whose books I’ve devoured—deeply emotional, exquisitely written. But the way this person delivered the words…it felt as though he was generating the thoughts in real-time, making them his own. His tone, his energy—it brought the words to life in a way I don’t think they would have hit me had I simply read them on a page.

    One particular part struck me. He spoke about how psychologists tend to label people—especially those who dislike certain types of individuals. According to them, if I don’t like people with toxic personalities, it must mean I have a toxic personality. If I judge those who throw trash on the street, then deep down, I must be guilty of the same. What kind of logic is that? By that reasoning, we aren’t allowed to reject bad behavior, because disliking it supposedly means we embody it ourselves? They push you to find your own darkness, just to prove their theory right. It’s almost as if you’re forced into self-doubt—“Maybe I do throw trash without realizing it? Haha, shut up—you’re not a psychologist!”

    It bothers me how psychology, despite its many virtues, sometimes seems like an untouchable authority. Psychologists are often placed on a pedestal, their words accepted as absolute truth. Ordinary people, seeking guidance, hang onto their every opinion as if they’re dying of thirst in a desert. And in doing so, they become mentally passive, outsourcing their critical thinking. But does every psychological label truly hold meaning? Does it genuinely create real movement in a person’s soul?

    I have nothing against psychology—I even once considered becoming a psychologist myself (wearing that metaphorical crown of wisdom ?). I’ve always loved overanalyzing things, emotionally dissecting every little situation. But I also know how easy it is to fall into the trap of labeling. And let’s be honest—if a psychologist were to put a label on me, should I care? ? I still respect those who truly have a gift for this field, of course.

    The video also touched on the so-called Savior Complex—the idea that some people don’t help others out of pure generosity, but for the validation it gives them. And that is where the real spark of the discussion lies. Have we really reached a point where we no longer believe in genuine kindness? Where every act of giving must come with an ulterior motive? Psychologists, in their confidence, have packaged this as “The Savior Complex”—as if kindness itself is suspicious, tainted.

    Sure, some people do “perform” kindness for attention, or as a transaction to get something in return. But is it fair to generalize? Humanity is too vast, too complex, too diverse to be squeezed into neat psychological categories. And the truth is, psychologists will never fully grasp every nuance of human nature—because every single day, new personalities, new behaviors, and new emotional landscapes emerge. A lifetime isn’t enough for someone to fully understand themselves, let alone define others.

    It’s frustrating when people oversimplify personalities because they’re too lazy to truly analyze them. It’s easier to say, “Oh, you’re just like this,” than to take the time to explore the depth of someone’s character. But knowing oneself is a lifelong journey—figuring out who you are, what you want to be, and what you pretend or dream to be.

    And then, there’s the saddest part: people who want to be like others. Copying someone else’s personality, instead of exploring their own. That truly breaks my heart. Life is meant to be a process of self-discovery—not a performance of someone else’s script.

    As for kindness, I still want to believe in it. I refuse to let it be reduced to a meaningless label. Look at animals—they help each other. Are they expecting something in return? Maybe in their world, it’s all about survival, but I believe it’s also innocent love.

    And if animals can love without expectation, why can’t we?

  • What do you do for a living?

    What do you do for a living?

    Based on this question, many people get to know you. It’s a basic question where people judge you and label you. If they like what you do, they include you in their circle of friends; if not, you’re considered uninteresting, without dreams, without ambitions. Maybe people don’t like you because you don’t bring any benefit to them, that’s just how it works, “we have to use each other”… well, that’s another story.

    Every person does many things because “they have to.” Because we are intelligent animals and die without food, water… nowadays, we die with food, with water, but without comfort, we can’t live.

    So, back to the question: I am everything. When I make my coffee, I’m a barista; when I drink a cocktail, I’m a bartender; when I do my skincare routine, I’m a skincare expert; when I clean, I’m a maid; when I paint, I’m a painter, and so on. Our actions define us, that’s clear. But if someone wants to know your job because that’s what defines us as people, it’s harder to say you’re a saleswoman… and then you quickly say something else because you want to tell the other person that this doesn’t define you. But if you’re a CEO, you shout out loud that you’re a CEO and that this makes you a real person… OMG. No. I mean, the question should be changed to “What do you do every day to show me who you are as a person?”

    When you meet someone new, it’s not as important what they do. A week later, they could have a different role, but they’ll still be the same person: good, full of dreams. I’m sure that if you know what they do day-to-day, it’s easier to understand what kind of person they are. Honestly, it’s like you’re sitting next to them and comparing what they do with what you do, seeing if it aligns with your interests.

    People are amazed by each other. One is a pilot (wow, bravo to him, I could never do that – well, yes you can, but you’re afraid… anyway), but I admire him because he’s doing something I’ve forbidden myself to do. Others are just drivers (driver, hmm, you have to be a driver because it’s a necessity), but again, we all have this job every day (so it doesn’t really matter that much—unless, it’s a passion and you want to drive race cars, that’s not really a “what do you do for a living” answer, right?)

    Rather, when talking about life, we don’t talk about jobs because it brings the definition that people live for their job/money, because otherwise, they can’t pay their bills or eat the next day. I get it, but I’ve never heard anyone say, “I go to work with so much joy because it makes me feel alive…” Really? (Let’s set aside the exceptional and ideal cases where people work with their passion and never feel like it’s a job). Even the word “job” has a different meaning. If you work hard on something, only then do you “feel alive” because you’re using your “talent,” “energy,” and “soul” to create something (we’re all made to create in this life anyway). Even our thoughts are our creation, and within those thoughts, another creation is manifesting—constantly, without us realizing… and so on.

    If I tell you I’m a cook, will that spark your curiosity? You’ll probably ask more questions, like what kind of food I cook, if I work in a restaurant… etc. But if I tell you I’m a lady who cleans, you probably won’t ask me for more details, like where I clean or what cleaning products I use. But the truth is, a housekeeper (article coming soon) has many more interesting things to tell. She’s gone through tough experiences that have shaped her into a unique, strong person from whom others can learn, while a cook has spent time in the kitchen and hasn’t had the chance to meet many personalities, so they don’t really experience much action… but again, people are many and different.

    The existence of this blog proves that what I do is a pleasure, even though people understand that “a way of living” is just a way to make money and survive. But it’s not exactly like that. I’m starting to stop believing that you have to do things you don’t like because “that’s how you earn” your bread, listening to others, keeping your mouth shut, and doing as you’re told your whole life, without commenting because you’re afraid of conflict and just want to live in harmony.

    I can call myself a writer since I’ve started writing again. When I got my first computer, the first thing I did wasn’t to install games and play, but to type out poems from old books. I loved the sound of the mechanical keyboard so much. I always loved having tea next to me, and I was already training for a job in an office later on. You can already imagine that I grew up writing journals and trying the cutest pens, loving to write with fountain pens, testing glitter pens. My handwriting isn’t quite calligraphic yet because I write quickly, and my thoughts move faster than I can write ? so I have to write patiently to create something calligraphic. I never liked writing the way my teacher showed me at school, it seemed boring, I do the “s” differently, the “f” too, and I don’t really connect the letters… I developed my own writing style.

    As for journals, I created my own language (using Cyrillic symbols) so no one could understand what I was writing… and I still have them at home, but it’s not much of a secret what’s in there, so I don’t really have anything to hide… or do I? ?

    In conclusion, it’s not important “what do you do for a living” as long as you spend your life doing what you love. I know others have said it differently, but if you imagine yourself at 70 years old and you’ve worked your whole life, what will you have left? Just the money?