The Breaking Point - When Holding it All Togehter Became Too Much

I’m not starting my story from the very beginning, 16 years ago. Instead, I’ll start with the struggle I faced just a year ago—the one that led me to this state of mind.

That brings me to January last year. A time when I completely lost myself and realized I could no longer bear everything alone.

At that point, I was working 40 hours a week as a Management Assistant. Some might wonder, why work so much? Well, as a single mom raising a teenage boy who needed and wanted things, I wanted to show him that you can get what you need through hard work—without relying on anyone else. His father wasn’t paying child support, and we were no longer on speaking terms. My son didn’t want to see him anymore either, for reasons I may share later.

By January, I had already raised concerns about getting help for my son. He was struggling because I worked long hours, but the reality was, I had to. I had debts to pay off, and I wanted to provide him with the things he needed and deserved. But I was already drowning.

Every single parent knows that a 40-hour workweek isn’t really 40 hours. It’s a race against the clock—every hour, every day.

By the time I left for work each morning, I had already lived a full day. I’d wake up, rush to get everything in order, and then head out the door, already exhausted before my actual job even started.

After work, the cycle continued. Depending on the day, I’d either cook, drive my son to soccer practice, do the groceries, come back, pick him up, and then start cooking. Somewhere in between, I’d try to squeeze in house chores because I knew the weekend would be just as packed.

And then the weekend arrived. A moment to breathe? Not really. Because just when you think you can finally catch a break, you remember—your kid has a game at 7:30 AM… in who knows where. And so, the rush begins all over again.