Pretending I Don’t Care (But I Do)

Cool on the outside. Chaos within.

You’ve got the mask on: chill, sarcastic, maybe even productive. But underneath? There’s a swirl. A tangle of unspoken feelings, quiet anxiety, and a need to be seen that’s been pushed way down.

This is a blend of fawn and sympathetic activation. You’re keeping it together for others, while parts of you are screaming quietly inside.

You’re not fake. You’re adaptive. This is what it looks like when the system tries to stay safe through invisibility, compliance, or emotional shutdown.

Just for a moment, drop the act, even here, even silently. Admit one thing to yourself that you’re actually feeling.

You don’t have to share it. Just admit it. That alone is an act of truth.