Why Your Stress Is Like a Cup of Coffee
Just imagine your stress as a cup of coffee, each drop of responsibility, worry, or frustration. Countless emails, deadlines at work, traffic, family dynamics and everything in between can fill it a little more each day and time.
Most days, we balance just fine.
But then someone cuts you off in traffic, your kid refuses to put on shoes, and you’re late for work. Suddenly, it’s not just shoes or just traffic but your cup is full, and even a tiny extra drop causes an overflow.
That overflow is when stress can feel unmanageable. We snap, shut down, or find ourselves crying over something small. It’s not really about the spilled milk, the forgotten email, or the missing shoe, it’s about everything your system has been carrying up until that moment.
When our cup overflows, our nervous system often goes into survival mode. Some people lash out in anger, others withdraw completely, and some feel like their emotions take over without warning.
The good news? Just like with coffee, there are ways to stop the overflow:
- Sip and release: Small breaks (deep breaths, a walk, stretching) act like sipping from your cup throughout the day
- Pour some out intentionally: Journaling, talking to a friend, or a quick reset lowers the level so there’s room for life’s inevitable bumps
- Choose your cup wisely: Boundaries, saying “no,” and not overloading yourself help make sure your “cup size” matches your current capacity
