Embracing the things I can’t run away from

Some days, life feels simple.

I wake up, sunlight spills across the floor, and I move through my morning routine feeling calm and capable. On these days, I feel like I know where I’m going and what I’m doing.

But on other days, everything shifts.

Anxiety creeps in. I start doubting myself, wondering if I’m just pretending to know what I’m doing. The familiar comfort disappears, replaced by nervous energy that I can’t shake off. I find myself wanting to run away from these feelings—wishing I could just fast-forward to the moments when life feels easier.

The more I try to run away, the more stressed out I get. I realized that what really drained me wasn’t the anxiety itself, or the stress. What made me tired was the constant running. I got tired from the effort I put into escaping, distracting myself, pretending those feelings didn’t exist.

Because no matter how hard I try, these emotions always come back. Stress, insecurity, and self-doubt follow me, even when I think I’ve left them behind. For a long time, I believed the answer was to outrun them, to prove myself so capable that they’d stop showing up.

Until eventually, I noticed: I wasn’t exhausted from the emotions. I was exhausted from the avoidance.

But lately, I’m starting to think maybe that’s not the point. Maybe these feelings aren’t here to ruin my day. Maybe they’re part of the experience, reminders that I care and that I’m alive.

So I tried something different: instead of resisting those feelings, I started facing them. I allowed myself to feel anxious, uncertain, without judgment. And slowly, things began to shift. My life didn’t suddenly become perfect, but it started feeling lighter. I could breathe again. I realized that accepting these emotions and letting them exist made it easier to let them go.

Life still overwhelms me sometimes. But now, instead of running, I welcome the feelings. I let myself feel them. And after a while, they pass. I let go of them, naturally.

That’s how life changes. Not by escaping what hurts, but by letting it teach me something. By accepting every part of the journey, even the uncomfortable parts. In embracing it, I find more space, more patience, and more light.

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Maybe all we can do is feel it fully and trust that we’re becoming someone stronger along the way.

Let’s figure it out day by day.

I hope you find this insightful. Remember:

It's not going to be easy,
But it's not impossible.

Your friend,
Brian.