Have you ever been driving down the road, sitting in traffic after a long day, and somehow the day still feels like it will never end?

You got the kids to school. You survived a hellish day at work. You are starving for something comforting to eat.

However, taking care of yourself feels like an unrealistic fantasy. Now you have to get the kids home and fed, homework finished, baths done, everyone in bed. The house cannot look like a complete disaster (Insert the “Just few minutes clean”). And maybe, just maybe, you will get five minutes to yourself before doing it all again tomorrow.

Maybe this describes your life to the nth degree.

And on top of all of it, you never feel like you are doing enough. You are not strong enough. Not a good enough parent. Not a good enough partner. Not a good enough employee. Fill in the blank.

Throughout the day you feel sluggish. Unmotivated. Uninspired. You tell yourself there must be more to happiness than this. But in the end, you decide you will just keep faking it until you make it. You will smile your way into a euphoria you secretly believe may never come.

This is the story of many of us.

It is a story of grind, resilience, perseverance, sacrifice, and dedication. It is a story of values and meaning. It is a story of sacrificial love.

To the outside observer, this person is crushing it. They love their kids/family fiercely. They work hard to provide. They show up for their friends and community when they can. From the outside, they are the person someone else wishes they could be.

But internally, the story sounds very different.

Internally, both believe they are failing. Both believe they are falling short. Both believe they must fake it until something drastic changes and happiness finally arrives.

Here is the sad irony. Both people envy each other. Both believe they are behind. Both are actually killing it.

The idea of “faking it” minimizes the truth of human existence. Life is hard. It has always been hard.

Yet the world whispers a different message. If you buy the right products, take the right supplements, follow the right influencers, read the right blog post, you will discover the formula that makes life easier.

And if you feel bad? If you feel tired, overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck? Then you must be doing something wrong. Try harder.

The problem is this. Distress and discomfort are part of being human. They are not signs of failure. They are signs that you care. They may be signs that you are engaged in a life that matters.

You cannot fake your way out of being human. Therefore you must be making it every single day!