Anyone who knows me knows I always have many balls in the air. I work for Dovetail, run two small businesses, regularly visit my aging parents, and recently started hosting women’s retreats for healing and connection. Then there’s the everyday stuff: maintaining our house, garden, chickens, and two demanding felines—not to mention caring for the acre-plus yard. Whew! No wonder I sometimes feel overwhelmed. Yet, I enjoy feeling busy, purposeful, and needed. Until recently, however, I let that overwhelm me, even though I seem to seek it out.
This week brought a revelation. I was driving to help a dear friend with a project low on my priority list. Even though the relationship is high on my list, I grumbled a bit as I jumped in the car. With many other things pulling at my attention, I struggled to see beyond the task to the treasured relationship. As I drove, I began slipping into a familiar spiral—focusing on all that was left undone rather than on the joy of being present with someone I care deeply about. Thankfully, I caught myself and shifted my focus intentionally, thinking instead about meaningful questions to deepen our connection.
In that moment, I realized something: I thrive on chaos. But this chaos is a choice. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, I’m choosing to see myself as the conductor of an orchestra. I decide when each instrument enters the music of my life. Instead of labeling it “chaos,” I’m calling it a “symphony”—a rich composition full of joy, fullness, and excitement. Sure, life with only one instrument would be simpler—fine, easy, good—but life is oh so much richer with the symphony I’ve composed.
I love this positive reframe. My life is beautiful, complicated, and sometimes delightfully zany, and I’m choosing to view it through this new lens. I genuinely love my symphony.
Emily and the Dovetail Team
P.S. As we continue learning and growing, we find ourselves collecting so many powerful insights and reflections. We’ll be sharing more of them in our We Are Resilient™community as a way to deepen engagement and spark meaningful conversations.