At the start of a new year, many people talk about happiness, success, or becoming a better version of themselves, but what I am hearing more often is something perhaps people are afraid to say out loud: People want steadiness. They are tired of the emotional highs and lows, the periods where things seem fine, followed by moments where they feel unexpectedly reactive, overwhelmed, or exhausted without fully understanding why.

Emotional instability is not always obvious. It does not always show ...

 When someone says they are emotionally exhausted, most people assume they are just tired. The common suggestions follow: get more sleep, take a break, go for a massage, maybe take up yoga.

But emotional exhaustion has little to do with rest. It is not about needing more time off. It is about the invisible emotional labour you have been carrying for years. For some, it has been a lifetime of staying composed, agreeable, and helpful, even when they were running on empty.

Emotional Vigilance Bec...