"So you keep hustling and double-down on working harder, justifying it with "rational" concerns that things could change anytime and, heck, your competition isn't resting. Even on vacation, you're thinking about work and constantly checking your messages to put out fires. You're in a beautiful place having an amazing meal with incredible entertainment, yet you're feeling numb like you're going through the motions and you're not emotionally present."
"Many of us have built our lives to handle stress, but never learned how to handle joy. The Hidden Guilt Beneath the Grind Once we reach school age, the system starts to praise hard work and discipline over creative imagination and fun. Each year you age, things get more serious and restrictive. In order to compete and move on to the next level, you need to work hard first in order to earn play and relaxation."
High achievers often construct lives optimized to endure stress while neglecting the capacity to experience joy. An internal voice warns against resting, framing relaxation as risky and prompting continuous effort and vigilance. That voice stems from fear, not ambition, and drives persistent hustling, even during vacations and celebrations. Social conditioning rewards discipline and hard work over play, teaching that rest must be earned. This conditioning creates an invisible ceiling on how good life feels and a self-regulating identity that prevents sustained pleasure. Recharging requires intentionally easing off the gas and practicing presence and permission to feel joy.
Read at Psychology Today
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