Ten years ago, I suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and became a person with a severe disability. My life changed drastically—I lost control over the left side of my body. But I didn’t give up. I pushed through rehabilitation, continued working, and told myself,
“Even with a disability, if I try hard enough, I can make it.”

But now, after ten years, I’ve reached my limit.
I’ve come to a painful realization:

“In this society, you have to overwork yourself just to survive.”

◆ The Harsh Reality of Work and the Feeling of Betrayal
The truth is, once you become severely disabled, living a “normal life” becomes incredibly difficult. Every aspect of daily life changes, and you often have to rely on others for help. But I kept working—both to sustain myself and to prove that I could still contribute to society.

However, there comes a point where your body and mind can no longer keep up.
After struggling for ten years, I finally reached that point. I was exhausted, physically and mentally.

Then, my boss said to me:
“If you try harder, you can do it.”

Those words cut deep.
I had been trying for a decade. I had been pushing myself to the limit every single day.
And yet, my struggles were invisible. My exhaustion was dismissed as a lack of effort.
It was then that I realized something.

Society is built in a way that forces people to overwork themselves just to survive.
And if you stop trying, people see it as “laziness.”

◆ For People with Severe Disabilities, Life Becomes a Battle
For most people, working and earning an income is an obvious part of life.
But for those of us with severe disabilities, it is much harder than people realize.

We are expected to perform at the same level as able-bodied workers, even though we have physical limitations.
Workplace “accommodations” often exist only in name, with actual expectations remaining unchanged.
We constantly feel the pressure to prove ourselves and carry the weight of guilt for being “a burden.”
In a system like this, living without overworking is nearly impossible.

I once believed, “If I try hard enough, I can make it.”
But now I see the truth:
In a society where working yourself to the bone is expected, there is no space for people with disabilities to live without pushing beyond their limits.

◆ Searching for a Way to Live Without Overworking
So now, I am asking myself:
“How can I reduce the burden and live in a more sustainable way?”

I don’t have all the answers yet. But through my experiences, I have discovered some possible paths.

① Creating Alternative Sources of Income
I run a blog and offer counseling services. While it takes time to build financial stability, I hope that eventually, these efforts will allow me to step away from a traditional job that demands more than I can give.

② Finding a Work Style That Requires Less Overworking
If full-time work is too much, I need to explore alternatives—part-time work, remote jobs, or positions specifically designed for people with disabilities. Adapting the work environment to my needs is essential.

③ Speaking Up to Change This Society
Through this blog, I share my struggles and experiences. If more people understand how difficult it is for disabled individuals to survive in this system, we can push for change together.

◆ A Society Where You Must Overwork Just to Survive Is Fundamentally Wrong
Some may say, “You just have to keep trying.”
But if we continue to accept this, we will always be stuck in a system that breaks people.

That is why I want to say this clearly:
“If overworking yourself is a requirement to survive, then something is seriously wrong with this society.”

I no longer want to hear people tell me to “try harder.”
I want to find a way to live without constantly pushing myself past my limits.

If you resonate with these feelings, please share this post and share your thoughts.
Let’s find a way to live that doesn’t require self-destruction.
Let’s search for a path where we can live, not just survive.