Why I Don’t Want To Be The 'Strong One' Anymore

Strength as an idea seems inspirational, but constantly thriving through it can lead to unspoken pressure and exhaustion that no one talks about. Many households appreciate women who manage their professional and private lives without complaint: "She manages everything." Praises like these instil and embed the idea that constant strength is a parameter to be praised and treated well.

People forget that they're pushing the very notion of unsaid pressure, which leads to long-term issues of bad mental and physical health. Being strong should not mean suffering silently. It should mean having the courage to admit when you are tired.

Do not take a break

Society has a strange way of celebrating people, only when they endure endlessly. The single mother who struggles silently. The daughter who sacrifices her dreams. The professional who works twice as hard to prove herself. All of these just to prove their strength and how much they can swallow through, to a point where they just can't take up anymore. 

Strength becomes something you perform. You learn to smile through stress. You say “I’m fine” even when you are not. You continue functioning because stopping feels like weakness.

When Strong Comes With Loneliness

There is also a quiet loneliness that comes with being strong. People come to you for advice, but you hesitate to go to them. You do not want to look fragile. You do not want to disappoint the image they have of you.

In this struggle, you isolate yourself with problems and no one to turn to; over time, this isolation can affect mental health. You may feel unseen. Not because people do not care, but because they do not realise you need care too.

Constant self-control can turn into emotional pressure. When feelings have nowhere to go, they build up. Eventually, exhaustion shows up as irritability or sudden breakdowns that seem to come from nowhere.

It then results in exhausted women and men who try to show "everything is fine" but inside their emotional room, nothing is settled.

Real Strength

Real strength is not about never breaking. It is about knowing when to pause. It is about allowing yourself to ask for help. It is about admitting that you are tired without feeling ashamed.

You are not weak for needing support. Being strong all the time is not sustainable. No one is built for constant resilience. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is drop the role and let yourself rest. Strength should not feel like a burden. It should feel like a choice.

Being strong all the time can slowly drain you from the inside. Real strength also means knowing when to stop carrying everything alone.

Views expressed by the author are their own.