I was chatting with a friend the other day, and she mentioned something she’d read about “waiting for the calm.” You know—the magical moment when everything slows down, the to-do list is complete, and you finally get to breathe.
Except… what if that calm never really comes?
Especially in certain seasons of life—like the one I’m in now as a stay-at-home parent of a toddler—that elusive calm feels more like a myth than a milestone. I know working parents feel this too (and I bow down to you), because juggling work and family is a whole different kind of mental gymnastics.
I’ve got a few side gigs that help keep me connected to myself, my passions, and my sense of identity beyond motherhood. But even those have to be squeezed into nap times and post-bedtime hustle hours. That quiet time? I have to fight for it. And even when I have it, the temptation to fill it with errands and emails is real.
What I’m learning—slowly, imperfectly—is that it’s okay if there’s no big calm. Life isn’t a perfectly still lake. It’s more like surfing: you catch a wave, ride it out, maybe get a few moments to float—but there’s always another ripple coming.
So maybe the goal isn’t to wait for everything to settle. Maybe the goal is to get better at riding the waves. To embrace the chaos without letting it drown you. To find pockets of peace in the mess. And to stop holding your breath for that “perfect” quiet moment that may never come.
Stop waiting for the calm. Create it where you can, and embrace the motion where you must.
Ask yourself today: How can I find a small moment of calm—even if the world around me is anything but? Maybe it’s a hot cup of coffee before the day starts. A solo walk. A song you love on full blast in the car. Whatever it is, let it count.