Stress doesn’t mean you’re failing. Sometimes it means you finally took on something that matters.

Strain is a feature of load, not a sign of malfunction. Very little that matters arrives feeling comfortable, and an entirely calm month usually means the stakes are low rather than that you are doing well. That does not make all pressure good. It does mean the presence of it proves nothing about whether you are coping.

When you notice the weight, ask what it is attached to, and check whether you chose that thing. If you did, the discomfort is a cost you agreed to. If you did not choose it, that is a different question, and the answer may be to set some of it down.