Why I Snapped Over Something Small—and What It Taught Me About Stress

Apr 9

This morning, I lost it.

Not dramatically. Not publicly.
Just here, in my quiet, historic townhouse on a tree-lined street, before 9am.

Our next-door neighbor asked us to take care of their cat for a few days while they’re away. My husband, post-coffee, stepped outside to take care of feeding and litter duty. A small ask. A normal morning.
Meanwhile, I noticed the mess our cat had made overnight—dried flower petals scattered across the living room floor like botanical confetti. So, I vacuumed. Nothing big.

When my husband returned, he was… angry.
Why? Because the front door was locked. He had to walk around the block to come back in through the backyard. He was frustrated. Eye-rolls. Sharp tone. And I—immediately—was on the defense.
Furious, in fact. I raised my voice.
“I didn’t lock the door! I didn’t even go near the door! Why would I do that?!”

But then—he pointed.
The door was locked.
And the reality settled in like a fog I didn’t see coming:

If the door was locked from the inside… and no one else lives here but us and the cat… it must have been me.

Except I honestly have no memory of doing it. None.
And that moment—the disorientation, the self-defense, the rising panic—told me something important:
I’ve been more stressed than I realized.

When Stress Builds Quietly, It Speaks Loudly

Stress doesn’t always come with flashing lights or dramatic meltdowns.
Sometimes, it builds silently under the surface—until one seemingly small moment breaks the dam.

Like locking a door you don’t remember locking.
Like overreacting to something you normally wouldn’t.
Like spending an hour after a minor argument completely consumed and out of sorts.

These are the everyday moments when stress and burnout start to show their face.
Not in grand gestures, but in subtle signals that something in your system is off.

It Wasn’t About the Door

What hit me harder than the locked door was how fiercely I had to defend myself.
I needed to be believed. To be right.
I felt like I was fighting for my sanity in that moment.

That reaction? It was disproportionate to the situation.
Which told me this wasn’t about the door at all.

It was about the mental load.
The invisible weight I’d been carrying.
The buildup of small responsibilities, unspoken pressure, and emotional fatigue that hadn’t had an outlet.

And when that door closed, it all surged forward.

What Emotional Resilience Really Looks Like

Here’s what I didn’t do:
I didn’t shove the feeling away.
I didn’t try to explain it all away with logic.
I didn’t distract myself by diving into work or cleaning the whole house.

Instead, I chose to sit with it.

I let myself feel the fury, the shame, the confusion, the fear of “am I losing it?”—even though it was uncomfortable.
Even though my brain wanted to fix or prove or move on.

That is emotional resilience.
It’s not about always staying calm. It’s about coming back to yourself after the storm.

Not perfectly.
Not instantly.
But with awareness, compassion, and choice.

How I'm Supporting Myself Today

This isn’t just something I teach my clients. This is the work I live.
So here’s what I’m doing today to care for myself:

Brain dumping everything that’s in my head—no filter. Just clearing the mental clutter and naming what’s been quietly weighing on me.
Reaching out to my support system. I’ve texted a few coaching colleagues for a check-in and tapping session. I know I don’t have to carry this alone.
Repairing connection. I’ll talk to my husband. I’ll offer an apology—not because I suddenly remembered locking the door, but because I value our connection more than being right. I’ll also share what I’ve realized about my stress levels and ask for his support in lightening the load I’ve been holding.

This is what moving forward looks like.
Small, intentional steps. Not a dramatic reset—but a quiet re-grounding in the truth of what I need right now.

You Don’t Have to Carry It All Alone

Yes, even as a coach, I have coaches.
I turn to them for reflection, grounding, and perspective when I can’t find my own footing.
It’s not about doing it all yourself—it’s about letting yourself be supported.

That’s exactly what I offer the women I work with.

Career-driven midlife women who are juggling work, family, ambition, and inner expectations—often with no time to notice how much it’s all affecting them.

They come to me when they feel stuck, overwhelmed, reactive, or just… off.
They don’t want to give up on their goals. But they do want to feel like themselves again.

Through our work together, You learn how to:

Recognize the hidden signs of stress and burnout
Regulate your nervous systems
Build emotional resilience from the inside out
Reconnect with your values and purpose
Redefine success in a way that feels sustainable

✨ If this resonates, start with my free Stress Management Tool Kit—a gentle, practical guide to begin coming back to yourself.
✨ And when you’re ready, book a free 30-minute CLARITY CALL to talk with me 1:1 about what you’ve been carrying—and what’s next.

You’re not too much.
You’re not losing it.
You’re just human.
And you deserve support, too.

CLARITY CALL