Big Girl Panties Diaries – Entry #51: The Sweet Spot (Isn’t on a Map)
Earlier this week, we had one of those “necessary evil” kind of trips—Hailey had yet another specialist appointment in Baltimore. We’ve made this drive more times than I can count. It’s long, inconvenient, and emotionally exhausting. But we’ve gotten used to it—just part of the rhythm of managing chronic illness.
Anna usually comes along to help when Hailey isn’t feeling well. She's the designated logistics coordinator, snack distributor, playlist DJ, and comic relief when things get too heavy. This time was just an overnight—we’re all juggling a thousand things between work and summer activities—but somewhere in the midst of the chaos, we made a detour.
That morning, I was juggling patient portals, work emails, and the nagging guilt of missing another meeting. The drive felt long. My patience felt shorter. And honestly, I was running on caffeine and obligation.
Enter: Hershey, PA.
It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t practical. It definitely wasn’t on my to-do list. But it was exactly what we needed.
We stopped for a late lunch at The Chocolatier (yes, it’s just as magical as it sounds). The weather was perfect. The food was delicious. And the chocolate-covered strawberries? They were calling my name—and I answered with zero shame.
We wandered through Chocolate World, did the tour, bought far too much in the gift shop, and for a couple of hours, we just were.
No deadlines. No medical paperwork. No next steps. Just chocolate, sunshine, and my girls.
Anna insisted on buying a giant Hershey bar “for later,” which—spoiler alert—was gone before we hit the Pennsylvania border. Hailey rolled her eyes but still asked for a bite. I watched them laugh and tease each other in the backseat and thought: This is it. This is what matters.
You can’t wait for the chaos to calm before you let yourself be happy.
Because sometimes, the sweet moments don’t come with a grand announcement. Sometimes they sneak in between appointments, show up as detours, or live in overpriced souvenir mugs and spontaneous road trip playlists.
Happiness used to look like big vacations, uninterrupted sleep, and checking things off a list. These days, it looks like chocolate-covered strawberries and shared laughs in the middle of a medical trip. It’s quieter, but somehow deeper.
And if you’re waiting for your calendar to clear or your life to stop spinning before you let yourself enjoy something—you’ll be waiting forever. Take the detour. Eat the chocolate. Make the memory.
Because life isn’t just about what you’re pushing through. It’s about who you’re with. What you choose to notice. And when you finally give yourself permission to stop waiting for “perfect” and just enjoy now.
And honestly? The same lesson holds at work.
We wait for the big wins, the clear skies, the calm quarter to celebrate. We wait for the “perfect” moment to appreciate a team member, take a deep breath, or remind ourselves why we do what we do.
But just like life, leadership happens in the detours—in the unplanned coffee chats, the quick laughs between back-to-back meetings, and the five minutes you choose to be present, even when your inbox is on fire.
So don’t wait for the workplace to calm down either. Create the sweet spot. Name the win. Celebrate the humans.
Because the chaos might be constant—but joy can be, too.
Big Girl Panties Diaries Rule: Don’t wait for everything to calm down—find your sweet spot anyway. Even if it’s dipped in chocolate.
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