Hey friend,

Let’s talk about last week.

I didn’t plan to spend it dealing with a totaled car. But life doesn’t usually ask, does it? Someone I love was driving. Thankfully, they’re okay. The car? Not so much.

Since then, it’s been a parade of rental paperwork, insurance reps, recovering stuff from the wreckage, and that weird, suspended-in-limbo feeling where you’re trying to keep your business running but also need five minutes to scream into a pillow.

I wasn’t in the car. But I’m still deep in the aftermath.

And if you’ve ever been the responsible one, I bet you know exactly what that feels like.

🧠 The Part No One Talks About

We don’t always cause the chaos. But we’re often the ones cleaning it up.

And when you run a business solo? There's no team to delegate the debris to.

It’s just… you. With a half-filled calendar and a suddenly overflowing life.

This past week reminded me... again, that flexibility isn’t a luxury in business.

It’s a requirement.

Because the real question isn’t “what if everything goes smoothly?”

It’s “what’s going to break first when it doesn’t?”

🔧 Here’s What Held (and What Wobbled)

✅ My scheduling system? Solid.

✅ My client communication setup? Lifesaver.

❌ My emotional bandwidth? Uh, we’re still locating that in the wreckage.

This is why I always talk about building systems that can bend.

Because being a solopreneur means you’re the infrastructure.

And when life throws something at you hard and fast you find out real quick where the cracks are.

🛠 Try This Question On Your Next Coffee Break:

“If something unexpected yanked me offline for 72 hours, what would fall apart first in my business?”

Then ask:

Is that something I need to fix?

Or something I need to stop thinking I’m responsible for?

(Surprise! It’s often both.)

I don’t have a perfect wrap-up for this.

No big lesson tied with a bow. Just this:

We can’t always avoid the chaos. But we can build businesses that don’t collapse the moment something in our personal life does. That’s the work I’ve been doing behind the scenes. And if you’re doing it too, I see you.

Tired, but still typing,

Did You Get It? The Free AI Swipe Sheet I Made Just for You?

In last week's newsletter I included a link to a swipe sheet of AI-friendly phrases you can use across your résumé, LinkedIn profile, website, or proposals.

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• Plug-and-play résumé bullet points
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• Where and how to talk about your AI fluency (no hype, no cringe)
• A short list of free tools to explore
• A reality check for anyone wondering, “Am I using AI enough to list it?”

(You probably are.)

If you didn't get it, there's still time. I've included the link below:

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Forward this email to someone else who’s been carrying more than their share lately—professionally or personally. You never know who needs the reminder that they’re allowed to build a business that bends without breaking. And if they want more honesty, tools, and occasional chaos confessions, send them here to join the list: https://sendfox.com/TMarieHilton

You’re receiving this because you signed up to hear from me—T. Marie Hilton—about how to build a business (and life) that actually fits who you are, not just what you can survive. If that’s changed—or you’re just tired of hearing from a woman who types through the aftermath of real life—you can unsubscribe anytime. No hard feelings, no guilt trip.