Personal blog: "Pebbles in the shoes"

I originally wrote this text in Spanish, but I have rewritten it in English, adapting it to the language and its expressions, to avoid confusion, references that may be absurd to an English-speaking reader, and to make it more accessible. Despite the years, I think it touches a topic that never ceases to be relevant. I hope you like it.

Humans are complicated and full of contradictions. Honestly, that’s where some of our best and worst traits come from. Personally, I like to think of myself as a rational, analytical person. Does that mean I always am? Not necessarily. But I enjoy trying to figure out the "why" behind things—it’s just how my brain works.

That said, not everything in life can be understood. Sometimes, things just don’t make sense, no matter how hard you try to piece them together. And learning to accept that? Yeah, it’s not always easy.

Take this past week, for example. I’ve been dealing with this random wave of anxiety that I can’t quite explain. It’s not overwhelming or debilitating—it’s not making me feel depressed—but it’s there. It’s annoying, like an itch you can’t scratch.

It reminds me of having a pebble in your shoe. Sometimes you notice it; sometimes you don’t. It’s not really hurting you, but it’s definitely uncomfortable. And when you stop to take off your shoe and look for it, the pebble is nowhere to be found. So, you end up just putting your shoe back on and walking anyway, learning to live with the annoyance.

Our moods are kind of like that shoe. Every now and then, you’ll find some “pebbles” in there, little irritations or anxieties that don’t stop you from moving forward but slow you down or make the journey feel harder. And honestly, I’m always amazed by how we deal with these little nuisances. Sometimes we handle them well, but other times, if we ignore them or manage them poorly, they can grow into something bigger and much harder to handle.

Accepting that these “pebbles” exist, that we can’t always get rid of them, and that we have to learn to live with them is an important first step. But it’s not an easy one. When we feel anxious or unsettled, the temptation is to escape, to find something, anything, to distract ourselves from that uncomfortable feeling.

And that’s where things can get risky. Trying to drown out those feelings by eating, smoking, or worse can quickly lead to habits that are tough to break. Over time, what started as a small irritation—a little pebble—can snowball into something much bigger, something that could seriously derail our lives.

Every big, tragic story often begins with something small, something seemingly insignificant. But that little thing—left unchecked—can be the first domino in a chain reaction. A single pebble can lead to decisions that spiral out of control. That’s why it’s important not to ignore those feelings. Sure, they might just be passing moods. But they could also be signs of something deeper that needs your attention.

For me, writing about it helps. It’s a way to process what I’m feeling and keep things in perspective. It reminds me not to brush off these weird, restless days where nothing feels quite right. Instead, I try to be patient with myself, find healthy ways to spend my time, and reflect on what’s really going on.

So, if you ever feel like I do right now—like you’ve got a pebble in the shoe of your life—don’t blow it out of proportion, but don’t dismiss it either. Pay attention. Be honest with yourself.

We don’t have all the answers, not even about ourselves, and that’s okay. And if things ever feel too heavy, there’s no shame in talking to someone about it. Therapy isn’t for everyone, but it’s a tool that’s helped a lot of people make sense of the chaos of this weird, surreal world we live in.

At the end of the day, life is about learning to be happy—pebbles and all. Whether they stay, go, or just stick around to annoy us, those little challenges are part of the deal. And honestly, isn’t that what living is all about?

Si llegaste hasta acá muchas gracias por leer este publicación y dedicarme un momento de tu tiempo. Hasta la próxima y recuerda que se vale dejar comentarios.