The Breaking Point

It is important to be cognizant of our breaking point at all times.

Photo by Joydeep Sensarma on Unsplash

There is a limit to the load that anything can bear. A branch of a mature tree can hold the weight of a nest of birds with ease. It can hold the weight of a few teenagers just fine. But if one too many teenagers decide to sit on the branch of a tree, it will break.

Humans are the same. We have a breaking point for every aspect of our being. We tend to be more cognizant of the limits of our physicality yet disregard the limits of our mental and emotional being.

The toll of a bad day is something that most people can handle. Two bad days in a row is tough but we can easily convince ourselves that others have it worse. Three bad days in a row and it becomes hard not to feel sorry for ourselves.

With every added burden, we approach our breaking point, and if we don’t do something about it, we risk breaking down—sometimes permanently. A sprained ankle can be a sign of a much bigger injury to come. If you ignore it and keep moving to avoid losing momentum, you risk getting badly hurt and losing even more momentum.

It is important to be cognizant of our breaking point at all times. We must not let it hold us back but be humble enough to admit that it exists and do well to avoid getting too close to it.

Breaking To Grow Stronger

There are times when breaking is a precursor to growth. In the early stages of their growth, fruit trees are regularly pruned—their branches broken off to allow the tree to focus its energy on strengthening its roots and reserving its energy for when it starts to bear fruit.

Breaking with your past is sometimes essential for you to grow. A new job could catapult your career. Moving to a new city could give you the fresh start you have been longing for. Don’t be afraid to break things off when it is clear that it is the only way to grow.

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