I'm not the kind of person who deals with stress in the healthiest of ways. Everyone has their own methods for dealing with things, whether it be a hobby, a friend to vent to, or an ice-cream and movie night. I, however, have a bad habit of pushing negative things aside over and over again until they build up and I crash. With the breakdown comes avoiding everything and everyone until I restore myself a bit. It's how I've been living for years. Recently, though, I've begun to see consequences. Some friendships are fading, my commitments are becoming like stones tied to my ankles, and people are talking about me as if I can't stick to anything. They don't realize what hearing these things does to me, and if they truly listened, they would see the truth.

I know that to the outside world, my way of coping with negativity and stress makes me look flaky, even scattered. It's necessary though. I'll admit, I could do it in a better way. I could take one day a week to myself, rather than let the pressure build until I erupt. Would this change anyone's mind, though, or would I just be called lazy instead? I am a work in progress, just like everyone else. I often ask myself what would happen if I dedicated myself a hundred percent to a hobby. What if I took no breaks? If I attended every single hour that I'm told to, and did my favorite thing until I was perfect at it, would I still love it? Would I feel successful and content?

Young adults today are given one commitment after another, and are expected to maintain perfect attendance, thrive in all areas of their lives, and smile while doing so. It's just not possible to keep going on this way. Something has to give.

Sometimes the sheer amount of items on the to-do list can become too much. Hobbies that once were fun and stress-relieving turn into burdens and weight. Things that were once fun are twisted into one more place we have to be at. I, for one, am sick of having passion stolen from me. I deserve to be happy and stress-free, and so do you.

Here's the thing - everyone needs to take breaks in life. It's the only way to stay passionate and energized for everything that's thrown at us. You shouldn't lose your love for something just because people keep telling you how much time to dedicate to it or give you deadlines. Of course, I understand that when you join a team or go to school, commitments are important. However, when you join something like a club that is based on a hobby you adore, you shouldn't feel stressed over it or tied down to it. You should be able to wake up every day and say, "I can't wait to go to practice." In order to keep this feeling alive, we can't overdo it.

If you need a break, take it. It doesn't help you or anyone else to exhaust yourself to the point of feeling like collapsing. Life is far too short to force yourself into anything. Spend your precious time on things that you want to spend it on, rather than telling yourself you have to be perfect in attendance and attitude. In the long run, it's better to stay passionate and have enjoyment for the things you dedicate yourself to. Little by little, I'm beginning to understand this, and I hope you start to, as well.

Sometimes I just need a break, and that's fine. You and I both have a right to be happy and stress-free.