Pressure gauge, for humans

When pressure paralyzes you, do this.

A little pressure here and there could be helpful in keeping us motivated and on our feet.

The extreme could be bad too. Bad for our mental health. And that extreme is different for everyone.

Be a man, make more money, get married, be smarter, be the best, be a good mum, make us proud, be woke, you have to represent us, find your purpose, build a unicorn… and the list goes.

The question is — what amount of pressure motivates you but doesn’t paralyze you?

That depends. And to answer it you have you put YOU first, so let’s start with that.

Then you should unpack your box of pressure and ask these questions.

Where is this pressure coming from? And this could be family, friends, society, or religion. It could be YOU! Or aren’t you putting pressure on yourself?

Then ask, does this pressure motivate or paralyze me? You should be making an honest list at this point.

And finally, choose your pressure. Prioritize. What do you want to take responsibility for?

Take the paralyzing pressure off by conversing with whoever the expectation is coming from, including YOU.
Decide on how you want to interact with it, especially if it’s coming from society.
And be sure to have some coping skills — take a walk, call a friend, do some sport, keep a journal, practice breathing, go for therapy… anything that is effortless for you and helps you unwind. Keep it healthy.

Paralyzing pressure does exactly what the word implies, it paralyzes.