Often I avoid talking about my anxious feelings, in the hope that they will go away if not given any attention…I have found that is not the case. I have found that trying so hard to hold it together seems to block me from dealing with the problem and moving on. Trying not to allow myself to feel anxious is the very thing that keeps me stuck. The unacknowledged anxious feelings accumulate into an ugly tangled mess, festering into something much worse than the original problem could have caused.

Should I be honest?

Or put on a brave face?

I don’t have the energy to do either…

Using all my energy just trying not to lose it with anyone

I don’t want anyone to see how anxious I am

Instead, I begin to blame others

Then, silence myself lest I speak too much

I can’t explain how hard this is

I don’t want to admit how hard it is- lest I completely fall apart

I wish I could be honest and make light of it

But I can’t

It feels too heavy to just shake off

If I was truly honest

It would surely be shocking

I hate feeling like everyone can see right through me

If only I was strong enough

To put on a brave face and carry on

But I can’t carry this alone

It’s too heavy

If I acknowledge it

I’m afraid it will seem even heavier

So heavy it would surely crush me

If I admit that this is my problem

The weight of it would be too much to bear

I’m trying to hold it together

Trying to set a good example

But when all I can do is barely hold it together

I can barely function

Almost all my resources taken up just trying not to lose control

But then there is no room to listen to another

No room for fun

By trying so hard to hold it together

I lose my authenticity

Too afraid to be honest

Even I can see this feeling is out of proportion

Perhaps I am anxious over such small things

But I don’t feel like I can admit it

In case it’s nothing really