You see people spinning out. It doesn't take much. One false step, one false move. Down and out. You try your best to "keep your eyes on the ball," but there is no ball in the air to track.
People try to put you in a box. They tag you with a number. Think they've summed you up. Sometimes you do it to yourself. The summing up is deadly.
It's an ugly frame of mind. Although, it sometimes comes as a simple, clear-headed accounting. It can be so invalidating. Invalidation is lurking around every corner. It's sneaky. Powerful.
What to do? Carry on. One step, one thought, at a time. Still, less thinking, and more doing, is good. You want to be clear-headed, clear-seeing, focused.
Determined. To live your life.