I’m learning what’s actually mine to carry.

Chaos isn’t going anywhere. The meetings, the moods, the hectic schedules, the unexpected — it comes with the territory of being an adult. Then you layer in parental responsibilities, parent-teacher conferences, sporting commitments, and the never-ending logistics of what’s for dinner?! It’s easy to see why so many of us feel overwhelmed and burned out. It makes me think of the quote from Spider-Man: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Sometimes it’s manageable. And sometimes it’s just too much.

The thing we forget — and I have to work on daily — is that we have a choice. We have a choice about what’s actually within our control. I can’t control other people. I can’t control every situation. But I can control myself — my actions, my thoughts, and what my threshold for chaos is.

And yes, I understand that’s not always perfectly true. Life can hit hard; we are only human, after all. And some days it feels like everything goes wrong. I can’t say anything right. I mess up everything I touch. Those are the days I go to bed early.

However, most times, we have the ability to choose our response. And those are the days I hope you’ll pause and breathe.

I think the hardest part is knowing when to stop. To take a step back. To evaluate what those choices really are. It’s easy to get emotionally wrapped up and go full Godzilla. When that happens, I shift into “driver mode” — a “fight or flight” response — and try to change the situation, or the people involved. And that rarely ends well.

Instead, I like to try and reframe the situation.

I look at it piece by piece.

Can I influence anything here?

Is there something I can change — my approach, my tone, my words?

Or is this something I simply need to step away from?

It takes practice. And not every situation allows space to reframe in the moment. But for your own peace — for your own sanity — stopping what you’re doing is sometimes the best answer in the middle of chaos.

Sometimes breathing isn’t about staying. It’s about pausing long enough to remember what’s yours to carry — and choosing your next step wisely.

Some days that pause is the bravest thing we do. And don’t forget breakfast for dinner is A-OK every now and then!

With gratitude,

Sonia