You ever have a conversation take a turn so fast it caught you off guard? Or one where you reacted bigger than you wanted to—but couldn’t quite figure out why?
That happened this summer with my daughter, MacKenna. I asked her to “boil the bacon.”
Now, in my mind, this was a perfectly reasonable request. Put the bacon in the pan, let it cook in its own grease—simple.
But to MacKenna? Boiling means adding water. And honestly, about 99.5% of the population would’ve thought the same.
But my brain?
Oh no, it had its own special logic—and I was completely confident in it.
She hesitated for a second, but because I sounded so sure (and I’m her mom), she didn’t question it—even though something felt off to her.
So that’s exactly what she did.
I left the kitchen, not giving it another thought. When I came back… the bacon looked weird.
Really weird.
Because it had been actually boiled. And it tasted just as bad as you’d imagine.
In the past, this could have turned into frustration.
🔥 I could have been snippy, sarcastic, and made her feel bad. And trust me—I’ve been there before.
Because like so many of my clients, I swore I’d never be like my own mom.
But without the right tools?
Without realizing it, those old patterns creep in. Maybe not as often, maybe not as harsh—but they’re there. When emotions build up with nowhere to go, they come out sideways.
But this time?
It was just a moment. A funny, slightly gross, learning experience we both laughed about. 😂
When that emotional baggage isn’t there anymore?
Conversations get lighter.
⚔️ Misunderstandings don’t turn into battles. And even a plate of boiled bacon is just… a strange little detour in the day.
When your energy is clear, life just feels… easier.
You breathe easier.
You pause.
And suddenly, the little things feel amusing instead of annoying.
And maybe the best part?
I didn’t need her to react a certain way. She could feel however she wanted about the whole thing, and I didn’t take it personally. I could just let her be her.
The people we love feel our stress—even when we don’t mean for them to ❤️.