I grew up believing that big boys don’t cry.

I carried that belief into my adult life. But unfortunately, this behaviour meant that I was more likely to bottle it up than talk about or resolve it when something was bothering me.

However, I didn’t know that the brave face comes at a cost. Overwhelm and burnout.

When you bury a problem and put on a brave face, you are working with two conflicting thoughts. One thought being, “I have a problem.” The other being, “I’m fine.”

Humans can only process one significant thought at a time.

So, stop pretending. Tell yourself; it’s OK not to be OK.

The next time someone asks you how you’re doing: If you’re not OK, then don’t tell them you are.

Who knows. You might just find the support you need and want.

You’ve got this.