Why You're Stressed

 It's that feeling.Very familiar now.Too much to do.Too little time.You say yes,When you ought to say no.But if you say noWho will do the thing?In your secretmost heart, thoughYou ask,"If I don't say yes, thenWho will get the credit,The thanks,The approval?"That question- the one right there?That's the very center of your persistent stress.Constantly seeking external validationTo tell youThat you are goodHelpfulSmartA good girlA good boy.Somebody.Or some other something kinda like that.When the antidote to stressIs knowingInternallyThat you are good.That you are kind.That you are smart.That you can say no.And saying no does not make you bad.You must finally know, inside,That you matter.Because if you don't matter to yourselfAll the stress reduction classes in the worldWon't help a bit.