We’ve been in our new place for four months now.

If the question was, “How are things going?” the answer would be… “Unbelievably.” as in, unbelievably well. But that isn’t to say that its all going perfectly. Some things haven’t gone as planned or hoped in reality but the lessons are being learned.

Life is full of stress. That’s just the plain and simple truth. Your life is. Mine is. Everyone’s is. It’s part of being alive. Life is“stressful”

Everywhere you turn, the advice is the same—therapist, friend, guru, app—“Find ways to eliminate stress.”

But here’s the thing: You can’t.

Stress isn’t something you dodge. It’s one of the clearest signs you’re actually alive.

So here’s where I’ve landed—there’s stress, and there’s strain. But they’re not the same thing.

Life is actually full of strain. Work, bills, deadlines, family… plans falling apart… that’s strain. But strain doesn’t automatically mean stress. Stress comes from within—when we push back against the strain, when we fight it, resist it, wish it wasn’t there…

When I’m pushing hard against the strain in my life, that’s when I feel stress.

When I stop pushing, the strain’s still there… but the stress starts to let up.

We can’t avoid strain. But maybe we can stop wrestling with it so much and find a little breathing room.