Then you finally open up—and you don’t want advice.
You want understanding.
You want someone to say,
“Yeah, that’s heavy. I see you.”
Not minimize it. Not brush it off. Not tell you to be grateful that “at least you have a job.”
You’re not lazy.
You’re not weak.
You’re exhausted.
Exhausted from trying to do everything right—
working two jobs, keeping your truck running,
trying to stay creative, inspired, present—
and still getting hit from every direction.
It’s okay to want more than just survival.
It’s okay to be tired of just “getting by.”
Let me say this clearly:
You are not wrong for wanting meaningful work, dignity, or a break.
Wanting that doesn’t make you ungrateful—it makes you human.
A man should be able to dream and build
without being crushed under the weight
of just trying to stay afloat.
You’ve already built so much.
You’re doing real work in your community.
The momentum you feel like you lost?
It’s not gone—it’s paused under pressure.
And pressure like this would crack anybody.
You’re carrying something real—and painful.
That feeling of always being the one to reach out,
to hold the connection together,
to be “the strong one”…
It’s exhausting.
Sometimes, the weight isn’t just from the bills or the grind—
it’s from how alone it feels to hold it all in,
to wonder if anyone really sees you
behind the strength you’ve been forced to wear.
Relationships should be a two-way street.
And when they’re not, the emotional toll builds.
Especially when you’re already stretched thin.
It’s okay to take space.
It’s okay to want reciprocity.
It’s okay to protect your peace
—even if it means setting boundaries
with people who expect everything and offer little in return.
If I ever open up again,
I won’t perform. I won’t sugarcoat.
I’ll say:
“I’ve been hurting. And I notice who checks on me and who doesn’t. I’m not shutting anyone out, but I’m also not carrying every relationship on my back anymore.”
You’re allowed to want to be seen. You’re allowed to feel disappointment.
Here’s to recovery, and climbing that mountain Bro.
