A Reddit user recently shared a humorous way their coworker helps them cope with stress during long workdays. In a post dated June 10, the user, known as u/fotojonick, explained that their “work friend” has been gifting them a demotivational pencil every day.
The post, shared in Reddit’s “Mildly Infuriating” forum, featured an image of ten sharpened blue pencils, each bearing a different negative affirmation. One read, “Accept yourself for the hot mess that you are,” while another said, “Failure is always an option.” Another pencil shared the message, “Stop overthinking, you are the only one who cares.”
Though the user didn’t specify the origin of these pencils, a commenter suggested that the set might be available for purchase on Amazon.
The post quickly gained popularity, receiving more than 34,000 upvotes and generating over 200 comments. Many Reddit users expressed amusement at the quirky and lighthearted messages. One user joked, “‘You can do it! But why?’ Beautiful.” Another found value in one pencil’s message, commenting, “‘Stop overthinking, you’re the only one who cares.’ Actually solid advice.”
Others joined in with reflections on the notion of failure, with one saying, “I’ll add ‘failure is always an option’ to the pile. It is okay to fail. Sometimes it’s the only option, and that’s okay too.”
Several users shared their own thoughts about the nature of failure. One wrote, “Failure is always a possibility, but you should always give it your best still. Sometimes you do your best and you fail. Sometimes there’s something to learn, but sometimes, you just fail, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Giving up is the problem.”
However, not all responses were in agreement. One commenter pointed out, “Some things are OK to give up on. In a lot of situations, it’s for the best. Like a ‘failed relationship’ with an abuser. You should give up on that, and it is okay that you failed. No one was ever going to win that.”
The post ended with one viewer saying, “Oh my gosh, I need to get these for my team.” The pencils, with their quirky and blunt messages, continue to provide a lighthearted take on the challenges of life and work.
