Story about stress: How long can you hold a glass of water

One day, a well-known speaker was invited to give a talk about managing stress. The room was filled with around 300 people, men and women of all ages each eager to learn how to better handle the worries that weighed them down in their daily lives. As the speaker stepped onto the stage, he didn’t begin with long explanations or complex theories. Instead, he simply lifted a glass of water high in the air for everyone to see. The clear glass shimmered under the lights, and the water inside swayed gently as he held it up. Then, with a thoughtful expression, he asked the audience, “Can anyone tell me how heavy this glass of water is?” People began calling out answers. Some guessed 100 grams, others said 300 grams, and a few thought it might be as much as 500 grams. The speaker listened patiently, nodding as the audience gave their different estimates. Then he smiled and said, “The truth is, the absolute weight of this glass doesn’t matter all that much. What really matters is how long I hold it.” The audience fell silent, curious about what he meant. He continued, “If I hold this glass for just a minute or two, it’s not a problem at all. My arm feels fine, and I barely notice the weight. But if I hold it for an hour, my arm will start to ache. If I try to hold it for a whole day, my arm will become so numb and weak that I won’t be able to hold it any longer.” The audience nodded, beginning to understand the point he was making. “Stress and worries are just like this glass of water,” the speaker went on. “If you think about your problems for a short while, they don’t hurt you much. If you dwell on them for longer, they start to make you uncomfortable. But if you carry your worries with you all the time, never setting them down, they will become unbearable. Eventually, you will feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and even paralyzed by stress.”

The room was completely still now. The people listening began to reflect on their own lives, on the stress they carried every day, the worries that kept them awake at night, and the burdens they never seemed to put down. The speaker let his words sink in before adding, “Just like with this glass, we must remember to put our stress down from time to time. We need to rest, clear our minds, and regain our strength. Only then can we pick it up again with a fresh perspective. If we never take a break, the weight of our worries will eventually wear us down.” Many people in the audience had never thought about stress in this way before. They always assumed that stress was just a part of life, something they had to deal with, no matter how heavy it became. But the speaker’s simple example made them realize a powerful truth. And that is that stress itself is not the real problem. The real problem is how long we hold onto it without giving ourselves a break. Some of them thought about how they constantly worried about things they couldn’t control like work deadlines, financial problems, arguments with family, or things that might happen in the future. They carried these worries around all day, sometimes even into the night, never allowing themselves a moment of peace. The speaker’s message was clear. Taking a break from stress is not the same as ignoring it. It’s about resting so that when we return to our problems, we are stronger and better prepared to handle them. Before ending his talk, the speaker offered a few simple but valuable pieces of advice on how to “put the glass down” and manage stress in daily life.

Take breaks. Whether it’s a short walk, deep breathing, or simply stepping away from a stressful task, giving yourself even a few minutes of rest can make a huge difference. Talking about your worries with a friend, family member, or mentor can help lighten the burden. Focus only on what you can control, too many worries come from things outside our control. Learning to let go of what we can’t change can free us from unnecessary stress. Practice mindfulness and relaxation, and get enough sleep and exercise. As the speaker placed the glass of water down on the table, he looked out at the audience and said, “From now on, when you feel overwhelmed by stress, I want you to picture this glass of water. Ask yourself, Have I been holding onto this for too long? Maybe it’s time to put it down for a while.” The audience left the room that day with a new way of thinking about stress. They realized that while they couldn’t always control the things that caused them stress, they could control how they managed it. And just like the glass of water, sometimes all they needed was to take a break, let go for a moment, and give themselves the rest they deserved.