Can’t you tell that I am stressed?
I smile when I see you
I laugh at your silly stories
Can’t you tell that I’m stressed?
Someone was rude and you’re upset
I give you a hug and words of encouragement
But can’t you tell that I’m upset too?
My mind wanders, and yet is seemingly filled with nothing
Everyone is staring, I feel their judgements
But can they see that I struggle?
No of course not. How could they?
They don’t know anything is wrong until I snap under the weight of everything I’ve held in.
No one notices the warning signs, the grinding of teeth in the night, the excruciating headaches, the tightness of muscles, the clenching of the jaw during the day, the picking of the cuticles, the forgetfulness, the brain fog.
No one notices because I’ve hid it so well, hid it all so that I didn’t burden anyone with my problems, so that I could help them with theirs.
Can’t you tell that I’m stressed?
I wrote this as a reminder to myself and to you that you are not alone. And if you know the warning signs of stress in yourself, take the time to relax yourself a little. Sit and breathe a moment, it’s ok to feel upset, sad, stressed or just not ok. It’s natural, but in order to relieve that pressure you need to take the time to relax, and breathe. Do things that comfort you, whether that’s sipping on a warm drink, watching your favorite show or movie, listening to music, just do it. And remember the things that make you smile, and give you warmth.
~A
Ink & Embers 