Stage 2 · Lesson 4 of 7
Tell one or two people
Shame grows when you keep a setback secret. Telling one or two people you trust, a friend, a sibling, a senior or a parent who listens, usually makes it lighter. Choose people who will listen rather than lecture, and be clear about what you need: "I do not need advice yet, I need to tell someone."
If your family is likely to react strongly to a failed exam or a lost offer, you may want to tell a friend first and plan how to tell them later. The family expectations roadmap at /roadmaps/family-expectations/ helps with that conversation.
Common traptelling no one, or telling everyone on social media while you are still raw.
A question to check yourself and an AI practice session come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with
- GuideFreeDoing What Matters in Times of Stress (WHO)
World Health Organization
Short, illustrated WHO guide to grounding yourself when stress is high
Practise
Keep handy
Struggling right now? If you are in danger or thinking about harming yourself, contact local emergency services or a crisis line: Find a helpline (any country), Umang (Pakistan), Tele-MANAS, 14416 (India).