At work
You carry the long stretch without dropping it, and people can plan around that.
What it costs
Keeping the strain invisible until saying it out loud costs more than carrying it.
How you notice it early
You are fine, and you are also not sleeping.
One thing
Before Friday, tell one person one true thing about how heavy this is.
If you want to show someone
Ask a second time. The first answer is the one they give everybody.
With the people closest to you
People can lean on you, and they know the ground will hold.
What it costs
Nobody knows it is heavy, so nobody stops leaning.
How you notice it early
You are the one who checks on everyone and the one nobody checks on.
One thing
Tonight, answer one "how are you" with one true sentence instead of the usual one.
If you want to show someone
They will say they are fine. Ask what the week has actually been like.
The other seven
Written for you to read about yourself, not for anyone deciding about you. It describes what tends to cost and what tends to feed — it is not a diagnosis, a test, or a medical opinion, and it does not tell you what work to take or who to be with.