If we imagine our emotions as actors and our presence in the world as a stage, we might think life is a string of solo performances. Different scenes, different emotions, each taking a turn at center stage.

But it’s more complicated than that.

At times, we find ourselves directing a scene where a dozen emotions have taken the stage — some of them unexpectedly — and we struggle to put on a coherent show.

“What are all of you doing here? And why do you seem to be fighting each other?”

In these moments, as best we can, it’s wise to take an intermission in the form of a breath, a step back, or a centering thought.

The goal is not to kick actors off stage, but to acknowledge their presence. To accept that — for a reason — each of them has entered the scene. And to remember that not everyone on stage needs a speaking role.