You know those weeks?

The ones where everything happens at once and needs your attention at the same time?

You’re prepping for a big presentation, and the dog throws up on the rug. Then day camp calls to tell you your kid is sick and needs to be picked up. While you’re scrambling to rearrange everything, your partner texts: “Running late tonight.”

You’re holding 10 spinning plates, and about to drop one or all ten.

I had one of those weeks, and I felt stress, resentment, and overwhelm. I wanted to lock myself in my pretty pink closet while someone else fixed all of the problems.

But here’s what kept me from spiraling:

Equanimity (noun): Evenness of mind especially under stress; right disposition or balance.

Think of equanimity as calm with roots. It’s not about pretending everything’s fine, it’s about staying steady when it’s absolutely not.

Equanimity doesn’t erase your emotions. It makes space for them without letting them take over. It reminded me that, yes this is a lot, and yes I am overwhelmed BUT I can still choose how to respond.

It helps you breathe before you speak. It helps you ground yourself instead of reacting to the chaos.

A meditation teacher I love calls it “inner smoothness.” I picture it like this: water sliding over smooth rocks — allowing the moment to flow through you, without grabbing on or pushing away. You’re not bypassing the moment. You’re anchoring yourself inside it.

So how do you practice equanimity?

This is a skill I teach all of my clients. You pause before reacting. You breathe before responding. You notice the urge to fix, control, or shut down and you soften instead.

You practice in the small moments (your coffee order is wrong, the Wi-Fi is glitchy, the annoying comment your partner makes), so that when the real storms come, you’ve got roots.

That’s equanimity. Let me know if you’d like to learn more. I’d love to help you cultivate yours.

LOVING LATELY

I have been loving meditation for years, but the meditation teacher I referenced above, Jeff Warren, is my new fave. He makes meditation accessible to anyone (the title of a book he co-wrote is Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, for example!) so if you’ve wanted to try to start this great habit, check him out.

JUST FOR FUN

Last weekend I participated in a fitness competition at my gym, Burn Boot Camp, called the Level Up Games. My daughter and I were partners. It was hard! It was fun! At the end of the day she said “Mom, I’m proud of us” and I shed an actual tear.

I was also a sponsor for the event, and I put stickers in the participants' swag bags. Want one? DM me on Instagram and know which one you like best and I’ll send it to you!

⬆️ The competitors and our most loyal fan (her brother/my son/I made him come/he did cheer).

Cultivating Inner Smoothness