I resigned from my job a few months ago, even though I had over 20 years of service left, holding a leadership position with a high salary. Everyone, including my family, told me it was a bad decision. They said, “Look at the people around you—they’re facing similar challenges. If they can manage, why can’t you?”

I understand that millions of others juggle work, family, and health challenges. But the amount of stress I can tolerate is different from theirs. No two people respond to stress in the same way. You might be strong when facing certain challenges but find others much harder to handle, and sometimes, there’s no clear explanation why.

To put it simply, think of glass and plastic water bottles. When you pour boiling water into them, the plastic bottle distorts while the glass bottle withstands the heat. Would it make sense to ask the plastic bottle why it can’t handle the heat? Of course not. That doesn’t mean the plastic bottle isn’t valuable—if you drop a glass bottle, it breaks, but the plastic bottle won’t.

Similarly, each of us is unique in how much stress we can handle. What’s manageable for one might be overwhelming for another. The key is to adapt to what suits you best. Don’t force yourself to endure something just because someone else can. It’s perfectly okay if you can’t handle it.

Have you discovered what you can truly tolerate—and what causes you stress? It’s time to figure out what kind of water bottle you really are!

Are you accepting your unique limits or trying to force yourself to fit someone else’s mold?