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When our daughter was an infant, days would blend together. The exhaustion was a constant in our life and I couldn't see the end of this string of crying, chores and washing bottles! Then one day, my partner told me to go take a long shower. I was grumpy. How dare he imply I was stinky!? What happened next was magical though.
I was gone for maybe 10 minutes. I came out as a new person, ready to cuddle and smile at my infant. The chores were still there and the baggy eyes hadn't changed much, but there was gas in the tank now. Months later, I hear the story below and it resonated with me. Hope you put it in your back pocket and use it as needed:
A professor once stood before her class, holding up a glass of water. Students expected the usual “half-empty or half-full” question, but instead she asked, “How heavy is this glass?”
Guesses ranged widely. She smiled. “The actual weight doesn’t matter. What matters is how long I hold it. A minute? No problem. An hour? My arm will ache. A day? My arm will feel numb. In each case, the weight stays the same, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it feels.”
She paused, letting the point sink in. “The stresses and worries in life are like this glass. Hold them briefly, and they’re manageable. Hold them all day, and they’ll wear you out. Hold them too long, and they’ll paralyze you. That’s why it’s important to put the glass down.”
Across blogs and motivational talks, this simple image has been used to illustrate the importance of rest, self-care, and letting go of burdens. From personal growth writers to nonprofits supporting families, the message is the same: releasing your emotional load isn’t weakness—it’s what allows you to keep going.
Whether your “glass” is work stress, unresolved conflict, or constant caregiving, take a moment today to set it down. Go for a walk, meet a friend, or simply breathe. Life’s challenges will still be there when you return—but you’ll be stronger and steadier to face them.
