You carry it with you constantly. From the first morning until late evening. You sleep, eat, work, and even smile with it. You've become so accustomed to this weight that you've stopped noticing it.
This is the backpack of anxiety.
Each puff adds new weight to it. First, worry settles in: will the pack last until evening? Will I find a place where I can? How long will this meeting last, will I be able to step out? Then your time gets packed away: five minutes here, ten minutes there. You don't even notice how an hour of your workday turns into smoke.
Then it gets heavier. Your attractiveness falls in there. Complexion, hair shine, freshness of breath. All of it quietly sinks to the bottom of the backpack. And next β your finances. Small daily expenses add up to an amount that would be enough for a trip, education, a gift for a loved one.
The most insidious part β you pay for this weight with your own money. You carry it, it tires you out, ruins your health, steals your energy, and you even say thank you β reaching for another dose.
It's time to take off this backpack. Leave it at the doorstep. Breathe deeply without the weight on your shoulders.