Miranda Shaft

In 2019, my life was completely overpacked. I was traveling nonstop as Head of Events for a global law firm, constantly hopping from city to city, building experiences for others while barely pausing in my own. At the same time, I was serving on the Board of Directors for Meeting Professionals International’s Southern California chapter. Professionally, I was thriving—arguably the busiest and most successful I’d ever been. But “overpacked” wasn’t just my schedule—it was who I was. I’ve always wanted to experience life to the fullest: relationships, travel, opportunities. So much so that I turned my name into a verb—“Don’t Miranda yourself”—meaning don’t overcommit in every area until you’re completely burned out. And nowhere was that more literal than in how I travel. I am notorious for overpacking. Beach day? Packed. Weekend trip? Packed. Two-week international trip? Definitely packed—to the point where I’ve spent hundreds in checked bag fees and been teased that there must be dead bodies in my suitcase. I would pack for every version of myself I might need to be—every outfit, every scenario—so I could show up perfectly. The irony is, I was doing the same thing with my life. I was chasing every experience, every opportunity, every “perfect moment.” Always moving on to the next trip, the next event, the next thing. Even when I was somewhere incredible, part of me was already looking ahead—running toward what was next instead of fully living what was right in front of me. I remember standing in line for my Dear World photo, wearing multiple bags as usual, when a stranger looked at me and said, “Honestly… you look overpacked.” She meant physically—but it hit deeper than that. I was overpacked with commitments, expectations, and the pressure to experience everything and look like I was doing it flawlessly. There’s a line from *Hamilton*: *“Why do you write like you’re running out of time?”* That was me. For years, my life felt like that—heart racing, always in motion, like I was running out of time to do it all. And maybe I was. But in trying to carry everything, I realized I wasn’t fully holding onto anything. “Overpacked” reminds me of a version of myself who was vibrant and alive—but also overwhelmed. Someone who needed to learn that you don’t have to carry everything to experience everything. Sometimes, the most meaningful moments happen when you finally put something down.