Learned Suffering

From a very young age, we develop our own coping mechanisms. We learn to deal with the chaos to some degree. What happens when those strategies are no longer effective though?

Today I was pulled in so many directions that I could feel it wearing me down. The internal conflict to please everyone while maintaining self preservation was like a war inside. I tried to come back to the present but there were multiple people competing for my attention. I tried to practice focused breathing but my phone wouldn’t stop ringing. It was like doggy paddling in the deep end.

We’ve all learned how to suffer like it’s a badge of honor. Look how much I can take without cracking under pressure. And for what? So that we can appear more capable. It only wears on us and sets unreasonable expectations for others.

So today might have been really crappy but there was definitely a lesson learned. I cannot, nor should I be expected to do it all. There is nothing wrong with setting boundaries in order to protect your own peace. We must unlearn these destructive habits and start treating ourselves with compassion.