Burden by Jana Büttner

In this sculpture I wanted to depict the same person carrying himself. It represents the constant weight we put on ourselves; we carry it around with us for our entire life. The weight we put on ourselves is often self-expectations. They can be both motivating and overwhelming, especially in today's fast-paced world. We often set high standards for ourselves in order to achieve “success” in our personal and professional lives. However, it is important to recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy self-expectations. We should understand what motivates us and what holds us back.

Finding balance in our weighted minds requires self-reflection, honesty, and self-compassion. Self-reflection allows us to examine our thoughts and feelings about ourselves and our expectations. Honesty helps us to identify when our expectations are unrealistic or harmful. Self-compassion enables us to be kind and understanding towards ourselves when we fall short.