You feel as though there is too much pressure on you, even in the air you breathe. Life might seem like an endless to-do list with deadlines looming on every side, one after the other, as stress starts to mount. When you believe you have overcome one obstacle, another one—sometimes two or three at once—is just around the corner. You begin to notice the tension in your jaw and shoulders. Perhaps it's the mounting work demands, the never-ending expectations from family, or the need to support pals who are also depending on you. Without you even realising it, this subtle strain gradually tightens your body.
Too much pressure can cause a certain form of fear to set in, such as the fear of failing, the worry of not being good enough, or the dread of disappointing other people. Nevertheless, we continue to move forward because that is how we are taught to do it. However, even our finest qualities might begin to fail when we are under too much stress. We skip meals, we don't take breaks, we don't answer calls, and occasionally the things we love most—our hobbies and the people who help us relax—get neglected.
This tremendous grind, this constant pushing, may make you feel so alone. It seems like everyone else has it all figured out, and you're the only one having trouble keeping it together. The world encourages us to "keep going," "be productive," and "push harder," but nobody really discusses what it's like to be at the limit of your abilities.
There comes a point at which the strain becomes too much to handle and no longer inspires. Sometimes all you want to do in those situations is to stop. Simply pause everything and take a deep breath.
