How To Tune Out The Curated Life And Do You

By Sponsor in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 2, 2016 5:00AM

Not too long ago, when you closed the front door, you shut out the world. Home was a place where you could escape demands, kick back and truly be yourself. And according to our friends at IKEA, this is still what people want from their homes. But let's face it: we're inherently social creatures, and these days we socialize around the clock, sharing our lives and our homes with friends and strangers. Socializing is great, but it brings with it constant comparison and expectations. It can be inspiring—or it can stress you out.

One spot this stress reigns supreme? The kitchen. We live in a world of lifestyle blogs, TV programs and cookbooks that constantly raise the bar. Wherever we look, we're bombarded with images of perfection. But how are all these people managing to constantly serve delicious, locally-sourced, seasonally-appropriate meals every day (and managing to photograph it perfectly, in the right light, always with that exquisite bird's-eye view), while you're struggling to consider schlepping to the grocery store after work?

The truth is, obviously, nobody's perfect, everyone "cheats" in the kitchen, and everyone does what they have to do to make life work. Remember that most people only broadcast the good stuff into the world—especially in these days of over-communication.

"Let's Relax," a new film from IKEA, wants to start a conversation about the expectations that make our lives unnecessarily demanding. IKEA wants to help you say goodbye to stress and hello to the joy of cooking, eating and being together. Goodbye to following fashion, and hello whatever makes you happy. Goodbye to the "right" way and hello to your way.

With a touch of absurdity, the filmmakers wondered: what would the over-shared life look like in a different kind of world?

Check out the film below:

This post is brought to you by IKEA.