By Eve M.

The Moment I Knew I Needed a Break

About a year ago, I disappeared from the internet. I had been on such a roll—posting daily positive quotes to Instagram and Facebook, sharing poems, and opening up about personal struggles. I don’t have a huge following, but I was looking to grow. To do that, I thought I needed to like, comment, and follow every person who followed me or engaged with my content.

Then one day, I found myself staring at my phone, heart pounding, scrolling through notifications and feeling completely drained. A simple comment from someone—just a kind word—felt like an obligation. I have to respond. I have to support them back. I have to keep up.

That was the moment I knew I needed a break.

Social Media and the Illusion of Perfection

Online, people only share the happiest, most perfect parts of their lives. It sets impossible standards, making it easy to feel like you’re never doing enough.

Keeping up became exhausting. The guilt of falling behind overwhelmed me. I also started questioning: Are people following me because they genuinely like my content, or do they just want a follow back? These thoughts plagued me daily. When I couldn’t keep up, I stepped away completely.

Realizing the Deeper Pattern

Stepping back made me realize that I do this in other areas of my life too. I set extreme expectations for myself, and when I can’t meet them, I feel like I’ve failed. Much of that guilt comes from the pressure I think others place on me—but in reality, it’s my own mind creating unrealistic demands.

Recently, I joined an online writing workshop and came across a post from someone expressing this same struggle—the pressure of not being able to keep up. But it wasn’t their post that changed my perspective; it was a response that read:

“Do what you can. The messages you are meant to see will be seen. Let go of the rest.”

It was so simple, yet before, I couldn’t allow myself to do that. Instead, I did what I do best—the way I’ve survived most of my life—I hid. If I couldn’t meet the standards I believed I should be able to, then I had failed. At least, that’s what I told myself.

A New Way Forward

But now, I’m choosing a different approach.

My advice? Don’t take things personally, and don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Let go of the idea that you have to keep up. Show up in the way that feels right for you. That’s enough.