Shock Absorber

“When do you ever get to live for you?"

There’s a moment—quiet but undeniable—when you realize: I created this.

Not as a failure. Not as a victim. But as someone who loved deeply, gave freely, and knew how to hold things together.

You became the one they could count on. The reliable one. The person who knew what needed to be done and did it—without waiting to be asked.

You absorbed the stress so they could stay focused. You picked up the pieces so others could keep building. You made room for everyone’s ambitions and somehow forgot to hold space for your own.

It wasn’t weakness. It was love. Competence. Capacity.

But now, the cost is catching up.

There’s a fatigue that doesn’t speak loudly, but lives in your bones. A subtle dread at another request. A calendar that’s too full, a spirit that’s too quiet.

And here’s what you finally see: you taught them to rely on you this way. You trained the system by saying yes. You shaped the rhythm by showing up before you were asked.

You became the shock absorber—softening the impact for everyone else while absorbing it all yourself.

But you’re allowed to stop.

This isn’t a rebellion. This isn’t a breakdown. This is a conscious return.

To boundaries. To honesty. To the clarity of “no” that needs no explanation.

Yes, people may be surprised. They may push back. But that is not a reason to stay small. That is not a reason to keep absorbing what was never yours to carry.

You are not obligated to continue a story that no longer fits.

This isn’t about walking away from everything. It’s about walking toward yourself.

You created this life with care. And now, with equal care, you can reshape it.

One pause. One no. One reclaimed moment at a time.

You created this. And now, you are choosing differently.

Not out of guilt. But out of wisdom. Not out of blame. But out of becoming.

If you are done being a shock absorber but don't know how, join our Beta and have your voice heard.