Ascend Canton

When You Can’t Escape Stress

What do you do when you can’t escape stress? When it’s woven into your daily life so tightly that it feels impossible to breathe?

Sometimes I feel like I’m going to crack. When that happens, I have to step away — it’s the only way I can survive.

In the summer, I go home, pour a cup of coffee, sit by my pool, and just breathe. There’s something about the sunlight glimmering off the water that resets my soul. It’s the most calming feeling in the world — second only to sitting on a beach.

But when the pool closes, I feel lost. My sanctuary disappears under that dark, heavy cover. I even searched for a clear one so I could keep it lit and glowing through the winter, but apparently, no one makes those yet. Maybe that’s my million-dollar idea — though if it were that good, someone would probably already be selling it.

Still, I can’t think of anything that soothes me quite like being outside in the warmth of summer. And I know I’m not alone. For so many people, that loss of light and warmth brings more than sadness — it deepens into something called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

If you know someone who struggles with this, here are a few small ways you can make a big difference:
• 💬 Check in gently — a simple “How have you been feeling lately?” means more than you know.
• ☕ Offer company — invite them for coffee, a short walk, or a chat, even when they say they’re “fine.”
• 💛 Remind them that what they’re feeling is real and treatable — not a weakness, not a flaw.

Sometimes, all we need is light — even if it comes from someone who cares.