My troubles, your troubles, our troubles.

You know that feeling when something is really stressing you out, but the next person just can’t relate? It’s frustrating. Over time, I’ve learned that people’s worries vary—even when they stem from the same situation. Sometimes, the impact may be the same, but it hits at different times.

I remember when my friend, Mo, and I were planning a girls’ trip. We were so excited! But just a few days before, we realized we hadn’t sorted out booking all our excursions. Mo kept reminding me that we needed to finalize our plans, but at the time, I was overwhelmed with other responsibilities and trip preparations. Even though we were both focused on the same event, what felt most urgent to us was different.

I felt bad that I couldn’t match her sense of urgency, but I also needed to complete my own preparations to actually make it to the trip. That experience taught me an important lesson: we all process stress in different ways. Her reaction to the pending tasks was different from mine. Our minds are not carbon copies of each other, and our concerns shift based on our personal priorities in the moment.

This lesson applies to all kinds of relationships—friendships, family, work, and beyond. Sometimes, we need to take a step back and understand where others are coming from. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Extend patience. Everyone has their own mental load, and even when we share the same concerns, our approaches to solving them may differ.

With friendly smiles,

HerSplendidThoughts