But is the "THAT Girl" trend really toxic?

No, but seriously, there are accounts on TikTok of people preparing dinner for the dogs!

But of course with so much content created by so many people, they couldn't just get away with good things, or it wouldn't be our much-loved internet. And so, today we will talk about a trend that has been gaining immense grip: "THAT girl" Although it emerged on Tiktok, and still being a typically instagramable trend, spread to ALL social networks. But after all... What do I need to do to be a "THAT girl"? You have to be thin, have thigh gaps, be conventionally beautiful, .... Ahh, isn't that the definition? Sorry, wrong one!

This type of trend seeks to help people who are trying to become their "idealized self", a kin of alter ego It represents a "me" without imperfections, successful....

The typical "THAT girl" wakes up before 8 am - usually around 5 a.m. - most likely will go for a run, do yoga, maybe even go to the gym, exercise all the muscles of her body (even those you did not know existed) until exhaustion, values the to-do list which she will follow to a tea (and, of couse, Stabilo's highlighters are a must!), writes in her gratitude journal about the things in life of which she is grateful, and, only after two hours of to.dos and daily tasks does she sit down to eat... And no, it's not a McDonald's burger! Only gourmet food allowed!

Come on, you just had the most productive day ever, you did more exercise in a morning than I would in a year, and all you're having is an avocado and tomato salad for lunch? What about the proteins so you don't pass out? Because after lunch, "THAT Girl" still has things to do!

Let's see: do some more physical exercise (usually very similar to what they did in the morning), does some computer work in a very aesthetic way, does some skincare and has a bubble bath... Oh! And we can't forget about those green smoothies (which actually look very yummy!). Those are for sure their brand image. Sorry, but if you do all of that but forget about the green smoothie, you are not doing it right! After all of this, "THAT girl" only needs dinner (but make it healthy, friends, healthy!) and... Bed time because it is already 9 pm!

Starting here: This is not for me! Not so much the part of waking up early, but staying almost two hours without eating in the morning? Nope, I don't believe in intermittent fasting!

After all these activities, "THAT girl" still has a few more professional chores that can not be left undone, but that should never, under any circumstances, interfere with the work of delivering us her routine with claw clips, matchas and cute workout sets, of course!

Before noon, the to-do list is an endless amalgam of wellness practices and, come mealtime a salmon in the distinctive Emily Mariko style can not be missed. The truth is that this is all very pretty and I do believe that the great purpose is to motivate the common mortal to give their best and see beauty in the simple activities of daily life. But is it really a realistic way of seeing the world and living in our society?

No. The truth is that these patterns are unrealistic for at least 99% of people. On a normal day with work, outings with friends, time with family and daily stresses, no one can do all this without pulling some good hair out of nerves. And let's not even talk about the importance of procrastinating from time to time! Those who do not seek the balance between productivity and rest will quickly see themselves on the edge of a mental breakdown.

Another question we can not forget when we talk about self improvement trends is: Does the "THAT girl" movement serve to help YOU or to please the standards of happiness and wellbeing imposed by the society in which we live?

Let's be honest, when we see these "THAT girl" videos we have a flood of motivation to change our lives and give a 180º in our routines. It's aesthetic, it's motivating and at first glance it even seems easy!

This trend isn't very inclusive, and (for those who weren't on instagram during the 2010s) "THAT girl" is the new "girl boss". Both extremely discriminatory for the working class — perpetuating the idea that, in order to move up in life, you have to aspire to have a company or be a businesswoman. If we were all entrepreneurs, our whole society would fall — there would be no employees, there would be no public services, we would not have the foundations that our community so badly needs!

Imagine a world where we are all influencers, content creators, bloggers or youtubers. Would we live on content alone? There wouln't be no supermarkets, hospitals, schools, NOTHING?

The working class is constantly excluded from the game of romanticization since they cannot show something they have done for their small business or create beautiful videos preparing the orders for shipping. And the "THAT girl" routine is just another example of how being a collaborator, employee or intern is seen as something temporary, something seen just as a beginning of career. Like it's not glamorous enough for social media!

And for curvy people? Isn't this trend the culmination of pretty privilege? The immeasurable representation of the stereotype of a healthy person? But wasn't this intended to make people feel good about themselves?

Well, criticisms aside! Just so that you don't think that I am always so negative, I will share with you my best tips on what to do instead of the "THAT girl" unrealistic routine and still enjoy a balanced and healthy life.

1. Create a flexible and simple routine that perfectly suits your everyday life and is easy to practice. Something you don't wake up to already trying to avoid.

2. Be aware that adding new practices (whether wellness or selfcare) takes its time to establish! Don't be so hard on yourself!

3. Try to find a day of the week when you throw the routines totally out the window and take this day to just rest, reset and prepare for the week ahead.

4. Set realistic goals! It makes no sense, for example, for a person who doesn't usually exercise suddenly start running 3 hours a day. It's not good for you or your body!

5. Organization and planning are everything! With Notion you can plan your life in an extremely aesthetic way.

6. It's important to try to implement a variety of hobbies —as simple as they are— that complete every part of your life. A creative hobby, a sporty one, one that brings you knowledge, another that brings you money and one that calms you down. But remember, sometimes one or two hobbies fill us all these aspects and that's the goal!

7. Explore every version of your being — yes, even your Sensual Goddess you hide from everyone! Let her out, be it two or a solo act!

8. Enjoy life with a good glass of Guarda Rios (for lovers of Maduro Branco) or Torre de Menagem (for those who prefer Vinho Verde) and don't take social media so seriously!

Words by Fabiana Fontes

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