I think the idea conveyed by these two images is ridiculous and not helpful.
FIVE YEARS?
If something is going to be hugely stressful for five years, you have a right to be upset, outraged, and even despondent.
This, however, is almost never true.
Yes, there are times when a stressful situation can persist for a long time, but most stress that people feel is alleviated within hours, days, weeks, or perhaps even months.
People typically feel stress over moments that are gone almost immediately:
A contentious meeting at work
A fender bender on your commute
A clogged sink
Missing your flight
Thanksgiving with your monstrous aunt and uncle
A new job search
Your daughter’s failing science grade
An unexpected bill
A flat tire
Dropping your phone in a puddle
Your toddler’s temper tantrum
I once told a friend who was dealing with something exceedingly stressful and incredibly difficult that, in 18 months, life would be so much better. “Just eighteen months,” I said. “Given everything in front of you, that’s almost nothing.”
Eighteen months later, she came into my classroom and said, “Eighteen months later. You were right. Look at me now.”
Eighteen months is a reasonable time frame. You can look ahead eighteen months and see light at the end of the tunnel.
Five years is horrendous. Five years is six percent of an average human lifespan. Five years make no one feel good.
This isn’t to say that we can’t survive five years of stress or that five years is a blessedly finite period of time, but given how so many stressors in life last far less than five years, and given that five years is half a decade, I don’t find this particular graphic inspiring at all.
My suggestion:
Cross out “In five years from now” and replace it with:
“Six hours, or maybe 13 days. Possibly nine weeks, or maybe even 18 months, but probably not forever.”
Not quite as pithy as the current graphic, but a lot more honest and inspiring, I think.
