I’m tired of being the strong one, always having to fake a smile. even around family. I envy the people who can wear their heart on their sleeves, could i do that? no. i would fall apart in a minute. I can hardly keep it together as it is. I thought i could stop…. but i cant. I don’t know what to do.
i just want to say…this was me in a nutshell. to the t. i know how you feel, and i’m not just saying that. this is the first post i read on this site and i had to respond because it really hit home with me.
I often find myself being in the position of “the strong one” too, I love being there for others and not seeming as though I have anything going on with me. After a long time, the pressure I put on myself of being the strong one built up too much. A very smart woman told me that asking for help was not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. So I went to get help and no one even really knew about it. It helped me deal with things that I needed to but to also continue to be the strong one. Sometimes the strongest people are those who recognize they need to do something, and do it. I hope more of your future smiles don’t have to be fake 🙂