At work
You hold several threads at once that other people drop.
What it costs
Being asked for one clear answer before the pieces have sorted themselves.
How you notice it early
Everything on the list starts to feel equally urgent.
One thing
Before lunch, write the three things down and then do only the first one.
If you want to show someone
Offer one option, not a list. A list is the problem, not the help.
With the people closest to you
You take people as they come, without needing them to be consistent.
What it costs
Not being able to say what you need, so nobody manages to help.
How you notice it early
Someone asks what would help and you genuinely cannot answer.
One thing
Tonight, ask one person for one specific thing, even a small one.
If you want to show someone
Do not ask what they need. Offer one thing and let them say yes or no.
The other seven
Written for you to read about yourself, not for anyone deciding about you. It describes what tends to cost and what tends to feed — it is not a diagnosis, a test, or a medical opinion, and it does not tell you what work to take or who to be with.