the mountain

if the mountain seems too big today then climb a hill instead
if the morning brings you sadness it’s okay to stay in bed
if the day ahead weighs heavy and your plans feel like a curse
there’s no shame in re-arranging don’t make yourself feel worse
if a shower stings like needles and a bath feels like you’ll drown
if you haven’t washed your hair for days don’t throw away your crown
a day is not a lifetime a rest is not defeat
don’t think of it as failure just a quiet kind retreat
it’s okay to take a moment from an anxious fractured mind
the world will not stop turning while you get realigned
the mountain will still be there when you want to try again
so climb it in your own time and love yourself til then

- Laura Ding-Edwards

Some mornings I wake up and feel like the world is already sprinting before I’ve even managed to open both eyes. There’s a weight to holding it all together. A constant hum of "what next" beneath even the most ordinary days. It is a little bit overwhelming, isn't it?

There’s a part of me that always feels like I should be moving forward — checking boxes, achieving something, maintaining momentum. And yet, more and more, I find myself fantasizing about stillness. About not pushing so hard. About not feeling guilty for wanting to rest. Why do I fear resting so much, I wonder?