05/02/2026
Earlier today, I realized how thin the line is between “I’ve got this” and *“I’m barely holding it together.”
I was in the middle of a Zoom call, presenting in front of the entire company. Headset on, voice steady, trying to look calm and put-together, the kind of calm you learn to fake when you don’t have a choice. I remember thinking how grateful I was for noise-cancelling headphones. A small blessing, especially when you’re a work-from-home mom with no help. Just you and your child, figuring it out day by day.
But gratitude doesn’t cancel reality.
Out of nowhere, Zedd appeared with a piece of chicken in his hand, determined that I had to bite it. In his mind, I needed to taste it even though I cooked it, even though I already ate it for breakfast. To him, it made perfect sense. To me, my stress level shot through the roof in seconds.
There I was, smiling at my screen, explaining my presentation, while trying to gently stop my child from putting food in my mouth on camera. Thirty minutes earlier, I was fine. Then suddenly, I wasn’t.
And in that moment, it hit me! Nobody really understands this kind of situation unless they’ve lived it. Unless they’ve had to be independent, to put everything together on their own, to show up strong even when they’re overwhelmed.
It’s not easy. It’s exhausting in ways you can’t always explain. But you keep going anyway, because you have to. Because someone is watching you, trusting you, needing you even if all they want is for you to take a bite of chicken. 🤍