11/14/2025
I once worked with a client who joked that her unofficial title was “Director of Everything”- responsible for everyone’s moods, every crisis, and the entire household operation. She was the steady one, the fixer, the emotional anchor. But that meant her ability to rest, enjoy her mornings, or even leave the house for an hour depended entirely on whether everyone else was okay.
If her kids were melting down, she dropped her routine. When her partner was having a bad day, she slipped into damage-control mode, carefully managing his emotions, shielding the kids from tension, and putting her own needs on hold so she wouldn’t make things “harder” for him.
At work, the pattern was the same. As a high-ranking executive, she was known for stepping in to smooth things over, mediate conflicts, and take on extra projects “just to make sure things got done right.” She said yes even when she was exhausted, driven by the belief that if she didn’t take over, things would fall apart… or that it was simply easier if she handled it herself. Over time, this constant over-functioning left her depleted, resentful, and quietly doubting whether she’d ever be able to relax without something crashing down around her.
Have you ever felt like you’re managing everyone’s emotions but your own? Issue 7 of The Subtraction Lab, "The Cost of Codependence," explores the quiet burnout and codependency behind being the “Director of Everything” and how to reclaim your energy, boundaries, and peace of mind.
Link in bio or access here -> https://www.amyschamberg.com/blog/the-subtraction-lab-codependency