When You Can’t Keep Pretending You’re “Fine.”

Last Updated on July 8, 2025 by Pen Pixel

Let me tell you something embarrassing.

I once cried in the bathroom at 2 PM because I couldn’t decide if I was supposed to be working or resting.

My laptop was open, my head was loud. My body was shaking. But I still sat there… writing an email.

That’s when I knew: this isn’t burnout. This is betrayal.

Me betraying myself. Every. Single. Day.

The Key Takeaway.

This isn’t just about being tired. It’s about how our lives have turned into unpaid internships for other people’s dreams while we slowly bleed out, emotionally and mentally. You and I know that you don’t need another article telling you to “take breaks.” You and I know that this pace is not sustainable and it’s silently killing us.

When Everything Feels Urgent but You’re the Only Thing Being Ignored.

You ever notice how people only care about your “mental health” after you’ve already snapped?

Before that, you’re just “lazy.” “Inconsistent.” “Hard to reach.”

• You cancel plans and they say you’re avoiding life.
• You show up and they say you don’t look “present.”
• If you go quiet, they call it mood swings.
• You speak up and suddenly you’re “doing too much.”

So what in the world are we even allowed to be?

I’ll tell you what we’ve become though:

• A walking to-do list.
• An open tab that never closes.
• A perfectly timed content machine.
• An unread message.
• A person who needs rest but feels guilty asking for it.

Work-Life Imbalance and Mental Exhaustion.

Half of us don’t even have a work-life “balance” to begin with. Because most of us are working inside our lives.

• We’re not clocking in and out of a neat little 9 to 5.
• We’re cooking, posting, editing, replying, creating, uploading, praying, overthinking, showing up for people, trying to stay relevant, and pretending we’re okay…

All at once. And guess what? No one’s coming to clap for us. There’s NO finish line.

And you’ll be praised for it. They’ll call you “resilient.”

Not knowing that you’ve been negotiating with your mind every morning just to get out of bed.

And what about mental exhaustion? The one that makes your thoughts feel heavy, even thinking about showering or replying a message feels like lifting weights.

And worst of all? You feel guilty for feeling like this.

Because people will say;

• “You’re so lucky.”
• “You have flexibility.”
• “You’re doing what you love.”

As if love cancels out exhaustion.

As if being good at something means you should be okay doing it under pressure, while crying, while hungry, while overworked, while numb.

Doing what you love doesn’t mean you owe it your whole life.

We don’t even talk enough about the emotional labor of chasing your purpose.

• Especially when your purpose involves people.
• Especially when your success becomes tied to your presence, your mood, your story, your consistency.

And the worst part? The work doesn’t stop just because you do.

• Even rest feels like a responsibility.
• You’re trying to “rest correctly.”
• Trying to make your break look productive.
• Trying to heal fast enough to get back to the hustle.

Nah. You’re tired. And not the “I need sleep” kind but, tired of proving your worth.

There’s no badge for burning out. There’s no award for keeping it together and there’s no round of applause for swallowing your needs so everyone else can breathe easier. Take your damn rest.