Some Days Ask More Of Us Than Expected

Yesterday started like almost every other day.

I didn’t want to get out of bed, but eventually I pulled myself up. I stepped on the scale, did my stretches, push-ups, sit-ups, and squats, got ready for work, dropped Brooks off at my sister-in-law’s house, and headed to the office for my usual protein shake and matcha.

There was nothing to suggest the day would be any different.

But when I got to work something just felt off.

I didn’t feel like myself.

I was anxious and restless. I tried to convince myself it was just nerves about USA’s World Cup match later that evening, so I walked down to the cafeteria for some scrambled eggs in an effort to get my mind off things.

That didn’t work.

Throughout the morning, even while walking during my breaks, I couldn’t shake the feeling.

I know this feeling well. I’ve dealt with anxiety since I was a kid. Over the years I’ve gone to therapy and I take medication to help manage it, and thankfully it’s something I’ve had under control for quite a while.

After my lunchtime walk I came back inside, ate my yogurt and string cheese, and cleaned up my desk.

Then I felt it coming.

A panic attack.

My chest tightened.

My arms tingled.

It felt like a fog had settled over my brain.

This wasn’t my first panic attack. I had several in succession a couple of years ago, but I hadn’t experienced one in over a year.

My mind immediately raced to thoughts of going to the emergency room.

Instead, I stayed where I was.

I kept breathing.

I picked one spot on the wall and focused on it.

Slowly the symptoms began to fade, but when they did I was left feeling anything but normal.

When I woke up yesterday morning, I thought I knew exactly what kind of day I was going to have.

Work.

Family dinner.

Watch the soccer game.

Get ready for tomorrow.

Work on things here while watching television with Jillian before bed.

We make plans.

Sometimes life has other ideas.

We wake up assuming we know what’s waiting for us.

More often than not, we’re wrong.

Some days bring unexpected celebrations.

Others bring heartbreaking news.

Some become stories we’ll tell for years, while others become days we simply try to survive. Earlier this month I wrote Some Days You Just Survive, and yesterday reminded me that those days don’t disappear just because we wish they would.

Yesterday I had my first panic attack in over a year.

But the day wasn’t over.

I still had work to finish.

I still had to meet with the contractor working on our bathroom.

I still had to celebrate my nephew’s birthday.

I still wanted to cheer on the United States during the World Cup match.

I still had two little boys who needed to get ready for bed.

Life rarely pauses while we’re trying to catch our breath.

As much as the panic attack disrupted my day, it couldn’t stop the rest of life from happening around it.

And maybe that’s the lesson.

We don’t get to dictate what happens to us throughout the day. Unexpected phone calls, bad news, injuries, panic attacks—life has a way of reminding us that we’re not in control of every chapter.

As much as we may start the day feeling fearless, motivated, strong, and confident, there’s no guarantee we’ll end the day feeling that way.

And that’s okay.

We should expect that life will occasionally ask more of us than we planned to give.

What we should expect from ourselves is that we keep showing up.

Not because we feel okay.

Not because we don’t need time to process what happened—because we absolutely should take that time when we need it.

But because there are people depending on us.

Our kids need us.

Our partners need us.

And ultimately, we need ourselves to keep showing up so we can work through whatever life has placed in front of us.

While writing this article, I came across a piece from Her View From Home titled “Here’s to the Dads Who Show Up.” It celebrates the who quietly continue showing up for their families day after day, often without recognition. Reading it reminded me that fatherhood isn’t about having perfect days. It’s about continuing to be present, especially when the day has been anything but perfect.

I also found an article from Mindful called “How to Be a Resilient Parent.” One of the things I appreciated most was that it wasn’t about pretending difficult emotions don’t exist. It was about acknowledging them, taking care of yourself, and continuing to move forward with intention. That’s a philosophy I hope to keep learning throughout this project.

Yesterday I wrote Why Ordinary Days Matter More Than Big Moments, and I still believe that.

Yesterday was an ordinary day.

It just happened to go sideways.

I wasn’t the best version of myself for the rest of that day.

But I was the best version of myself that I could be given the circumstances.

Sometimes that’s enough.

Earlier in this project I wrote The Scale Isn’t the Scoreboard, reminding myself that one number doesn’t define success. Before that, I wrote The Reset Never Came, a promise that one difficult day wouldn’t erase all the progress that came before it.

Yesterday tested both of those lessons.

Ordinary days matter.

That doesn’t mean they’re always easy.

Today I woke up again.

Jillian laid with me for a few minutes before I got up.

I stepped on the scale.

Did my stretches.

My push-ups.

My sit-ups.

Ate breakfast.

Dropped Brooks off at my mom’s house.

And headed back to work for another ordinary day.

Not because yesterday was easy.

Not because I wasn’t nervous another panic attack could happen.

But because every day is worth the effort, even when you don’t know what’s coming.

Every day has the potential to ask something unexpected of you.

Yesterday certainly did.

Tomorrow will have the chance to as well.

So take a moment to dust yourself off.

Ask for help if you need it.

Take care of yourself.

Then get up and show up again.

Because some days ask more of us than we expected.

And tomorrow might ask again.

Continue the Journey

If this story resonated with you, you might also enjoy:

The Reset Never Came — Why one difficult day doesn’t erase the progress you’ve already made.
Some Days You Just Survive — A reminder that surviving the hard days is sometimes an accomplishment in itself.
The Scale Isn’t the Scoreboard — Why success is measured by more than a single number.
Why Ordinary Days Matter More Than Big Moments — The everyday moments that quietly shape our lives and our families.

Further Reading