Carrying the Weight: Navigating Struggles and Finding the Small Wins

Hey all you out there in Cyberspace!

Lately, I’ve been feeling weighed down—not just by the usual demands of life, but by something deeper, something personal. It’s hard to explain, but I know many of you understand the feeling—the kind of heaviness that creeps in and makes even the simplest tasks seem like mountains to climb. It’s that emotional weight that keeps you from your work, from the things you love, and it’s frustrating to feel so stuck, unable to break through.

The hardest part is that it doesn’t always come with a clear reason. Sometimes, it's just a sadness that settles in quietly, like a shadow you can’t shake off. Other times, it's the sting of hurt, whether from things in the past or challenges in the present. When this happens, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, to feel like the weight of it all is too much. And it’s in these moments that everything can feel a bit numb. The ideas, the excitement, the energy to create—it just isn’t there. The things I want to do, the stories I want to tell, all seem distant, as though they’re on the other side of a glass wall I can’t break through.

Writing, something I usually find solace in, feels like an effort. My mind races, but the words don’t come. The pages remain empty, and the frustration grows. It’s almost as though the sadness is holding me back, like an invisible force that doesn’t want to let go. The worst part is that it’s easy to feel guilty for not being able to push past it. I want to create, to write, to share, but sometimes, my energy is spent simply getting through the day.

But, here’s the thing: I’ve realized that this struggle, this sadness, doesn’t have to be a roadblock forever. The way forward may not always be clear, but there’s a way through. And for me, right now, it’s about doing something small every day to take care of myself. It’s about giving myself permission to feel what I feel without guilt or pressure and finding tiny moments of relief in the midst of it all.

I’ve started with the little things—those tiny acts of self-care that can seem insignificant, but when done consistently, they help ease the burden. I make sure to exercise, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I’ve been journaling using an app called Daylio, not to create perfect words, but just to get thoughts down and let my mind breathe for a moment. I make time for music, for a cup of coffee, for something that lets me pause, even if it’s just for a while. These small steps aren’t huge fixes, but they’ve been adding up, one little moment of kindness to myself at a time.

It’s a slow process, and I know it’s not linear. There are days when the weight feels heavier, and days when the numbness lingers longer than I’d like. But I’ve also found that these little steps help me push through, even if only a little bit at a time. And that’s enough for now. I’m learning that healing doesn’t need to be rushed, and that progress can look like something small—a smile, a walk, a sentence written, even if it’s just a sentence.

It may take a while before I feel like myself again, before the words start flowing like they once did, but I’m learning to honor the process. There’s no perfect way to navigate these struggles, and no right timeline for getting through them. But I’m doing what I can, taking it one day at a time, and finding strength in those quiet, small acts of care.

So if you’re facing something similar—if the weight feels too much to carry sometimes—know you’re not alone. Progress is still progress, even when it’s just one step, one word, one small moment of kindness to yourself.

I’ll be back to creating soon, but for now, I’m taking it slow, giving myself grace, and trusting that this too shall pass.