The new year may feel like a restart, but life is constantly moving at high speeds. When it throws you off track, how do you get back on? The answer is simple but powerful: focus on what you can control. In this post, I'm sharing the Daily Stoic wisdom that's guiding my 2026, plus practical tools to shift your mindset from burnout to peace – even with a newborn arriving in two weeks

"More people mentally incarcerated in the free world than in prison." This quote from Wallo stopped me in my tracks. As working moms, we're constantly battling what we truly want against what society, our jobs, and our families expect from us. But here's the truth: the scenarios we play in our heads are the real prison. The freedom of failing outweighs the regret of never trying.

Ambitious working moms often put themselves last, believing self-care is selfish, unnecessary, or unattainable. But what if those beliefs are exactly what's keeping you stuck? Learn how to discover your personal "why" for self-care and create a vision statement that actually works for your busy life – because you're already failing yourself by not living the life you want.

477,000 women left the workforce in just eight months of 2025. The reason? Work-life balance—or the complete lack of it. If you're a working mother juggling career ambitions and family responsibilities while carrying the invisible mental load, you're not alone. The guilt and burnout are real, and the system isn't built for us to thrive. But what if you could build your own system instead of waiting for the workplace to change? It starts with knowing your why, assessing where you're struggling, and creating guilt-free strategies that actually work for YOUR life. You deserve to thrive—not just survive.

Career change. Family upheaval. Financial uncertainty. Major loss. We know about seasonal depression, but what about the emotional toll of life's other transitions? Transitional depression is real—and it's hitting working mothers hard. With 93% of working moms reporting burnout and 74% carrying the mental load for their families, it's no wonder we feel frozen when life shifts beneath our feet. But here's what you need to hear: You have control over this change. In this guide, I'm sharing the Five-Level Pyramid framework that's helped me navigate every major transition in my 20 years of leadership. From physical health to purpose and contribution, these five levels become your non-negotiables—the habits that anchor you when everything else is uncertain. Because the truth is, we can't wait until the storm passes to put on our life jacket. We need it now.

I'm five months pregnant at 40, and for the first time in my life, I don't have a solid plan. As a self-proclaimed serial planner who's spent 25+ years in leadership, this is seismic. But here's what I'm learning: control the controllable, and it starts with your brain. Discover the five daily habits that protect against stress and burnout, and why focusing on micro goals instead of major pressure might be the key to actually reaching your dreams.

Jessica Alba tells herself "let's not be perfect today" as a daily reminder to stop stressing about things we can't control. When we're constantly chasing perfection, we stop taking chances because we're terrified of failure.

Those parenting skills we use every day? They're actually advanced leadership competencies. Negotiating bedtime with a toddler is conflict resolution. Managing a Target meltdown is crisis management. Getting everyone ready is complex project management.

Yet we often hide these experiences instead of recognizing them as valuable leadership development.

Your imperfections aren't flaws to hide—they're leadership superpowers. When we show up authentically, we give others permission to be human too. The world doesn't need more perfect women—we need more authentic ones who are brave enough to be real.

Life isn't just a journey—it's a series of transitions. Michelle Obama said it best: "It's impossible to have it all." We cannot excel at every dream simultaneously.

True ambition means becoming strategically ambitious—knowing when to let something go so we can be our best selves at what matters most right now. Sometimes that means not pursuing that promotion because family needs us present, or pausing career for children during critical seasons.

The liberating truth: just because you pause something important doesn't mean you can't pick it back up later. Dreams don't have expiration dates.

Taking a pause doesn't make us less ambitious—it makes us wise. Strategic ambition is not about having it all, but about having what matters most in each season of life.

Do you ever feel like you need a break after Spring Break? When you're a kid, Spring Break truly feels like a break – sleeping in, fun activities, freedom from routine. But for us parents, it can mean being on the verge of a breakdown while organizing family trips and juggling work emergencies.

Family time brings joy, but so does alone time – where you truly get a break from all responsibilities. Don't wait until you're approaching burnout to schedule your break. Be intentional with your time by blocking "buffer breaks" on your calendar. Whether it's a staycation, a quick cat nap, or dedicated "me time," these pauses are crucial for your wellbeing. I've learned the hard way that pushing through to exhaustion helps nobody. When I take intentional breaks, I'm more productive, more present, and most importantly, happier.

Read more about how to create meaningful breaks in your busy life...

Tired of choosing between career success and family time? Discover practical strategies to reclaim your schedule and find balance as a working mother. Learn how to audit your time, build sustainable habits, and master the art of saying "no" without guilt. Stop saying "I don't have time" and start creating the integrated life you deserve.

As working moms, we wear our 'do-it-all' capability like a badge of honor, even as it slowly breaks us down from the inside out. We master the art of looking perfectly put together while feeling like we're drowning beneath the surface. But what if I told you there's a way to keep your superwoman cape without sacrificing your sanity? In this post, I share my journey from burnout to balance, and reveal practical tools for creating your own sustainable work-life blend. Because contrary to popular belief, putting yourself first doesn't make you a bad mom – it makes you a better one.

Welcome to a new year and a fresh start! As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to reflect, reset, and set meaningful intentions for the months ahead. In this blog, I share why manifesting your goals and being intentional with your time is key to a balanced and fulfilling life. Whether you're a busy mom, a career-driven professional, or an entrepreneur juggling it all, learn how to create a life that prioritizes your needs without guilt. Let’s make this the year of abundance, joy, and purposeful living! 🌟

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I had a conversation the other day with a twenty-something woman about life and how she struggles with confidence and mental health. Listening to her, I was reminded of my own journey and the struggles I faced in my twenties. I shared with her that as she gets older, she will find herself gaining more confidence. This is one of the reasons I embrace and enjoy my birthday every year.

Many of us face similar obstacles, but why is it that some people overcome these obstacles while others continue to sit and focus on what’s stopping them from doing what they want and need in their life? I started reading the book “The Obstacle Is The Way” by Ryan Holiday. From what I’ve read so far, he writes about perceived obstacles and how the events that take place in our lives are neither good nor bad; we assign meaning to the event based on the stories we tell ourselves.

Have you ever had days or weeks where you’re just all in your feelings? You can’t find the motivation to complete your to-do list, and worse, to do the things you enjoy? Well, that has been my past few days. All I wanted to do was sleep and watch reruns of Grey’s Anatomy. I couldn’t even find the motivation to send emails or make a post.