Justin Bieber took to social media with a series of enigmatic posts, baring his soul about the weight of "transactional relationships" and the expectations imposed upon him by others. Amidst a spree of Instagram captions centered around themes of "forgiveness" and "imperfections," the 31-year-old, double Grammy Award winner, and doting father penned a heartfelt message on Instagram on June 8th, voicing his exhaustion with transactional relationships. "If love demands performance, then it isn't love at all," Bieber added, accompanying his words with monochrome selfies.
Expanding upon his emotions through Instagram Stories, Bieber shared four selfies on Saturday, delving deeper into the subject of expectations. "This is my state of mind after being repeatedly told there's more to accomplish, even when I've given until I have nothing left to give," he captioned a photo, his hand resting over his head. "I doubt anyone can bear hearing, 'You just need to strive a bit more, and you'll be like me.' It's a fallacy," he continued.
"I heeded those who advised me to strive relentlessly. Yet, there's no end to the quest for validation in this life, for I've tried. You possess all you need, right here, right now," he emphasized. In another Instagram Story, Bieber lamented, "We are so engrossed in making our lives revolve around work."
"But life is about God—loving us so we might love one another. Cease making your life solely about labor [shaking my head]. God will always ignite your desire to work harder," he penned. "You assume people won't work hard if you don't exhort them to. Please, stop playing God."
"Conditioning can make you forget what you inherently knew," he added in the subsequent post. Bieber concluded his reflections with a message of faith, underscoring how "Jesus has always been the solution to our collective pain."
"People persist in seducing me into the belief that self-improvement holds the key to becoming better, akin to them," he penned. "However, the more I delve into bettering myself, the deeper I plunge into introspection. Wasn't the ultimate aim to think of others? It seems the sole catalyst that stirs me to consider others is letting go, rather than pushing harder. Embrace with me the elegant art of not striving relentlessly."On Saturday, Bieber also posted a snapshot of himself video-chatting with his wife, Hailey Bieber, captioning it, "This is a man who adores his wife." Bieber, who welcomed their nine-month-old son Jack with Hailey, has also been sharing his musings on fatherhood on Instagram.
Earlier in May, the pop sensation uploaded a carousel on Instagram, showcasing pictures of him balancing Jack atop his head and sitting beside him on a couch as their son rested comfortably. "This summer's going to be fantastic," Bieber captioned it.
As Bieber's family embraces summer, they do so amidst the news that e.l.f. Beauty has acquired Hailey's skincare venture, Rhode, in a deal worth $1 billion. A source told PEOPLE at the time that the model and entrepreneur was "over the moon about this new chapter."
"She's proud of Rhode's journey and genuinely believes that partnering with e.l.f. will propel the brand to new heights. The resources and support they're bringing to the table are everything she's been longing for," they shared. "Being acquired and recognized by such a prestigious global company is a tremendous honor for her. She can't wait to make Rhode an international success. Additionally, she received a substantial cash payout as part of the agreement."
