Finding Calm in the Middle of Everything

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we deal with pressure, the kind that sneaks up on you slowly, Whether it’s school, exams, expectations, or just the feeling that you’re supposed to have everything figured out, it can feel like a lot. And sometimes, it is a lot.

Anxiety isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet and heavy, like a weight you carry while pretending everything’s fine. Change, too, doesn’t always come in dramatic waves. It can be subtle and silent, reshaping your life when you’re not even looking.

Here’s what I’ve been learning, slowly:

You don’t have to be okay all the time.

You don’t have to push through like nothing’s wrong.

And you don’t have to have a perfect plan for everything ahead.

What helps me sometimes:

• Taking five minutes just to breathe. Not scroll. Not fix. Just sit still.

• Writing things down—everything I’m thinking, without editing.

• Talking to someone I trust, even if I don’t know how to explain it all.

• Letting go of the need to control what I can’t.

Change is uncomfortable, but it’s also growth. Anxiety can feel endless, but it isn’t permanent. And pressure can be a sign that you care deeply about something, it just means you need to be just as kind to yourself as you are to the world around you.

If you’re going through something right now, just know you’re not alone. Take it one step at a time. Breathe. You’re doing better than you think.

Until next time,

—Galatea 🌙