Family dynamics and the space in between

May 3, 2025

Let’s talk about family dynamics. And I’ll be honest — this one might get me in trouble. But here we go anyway, with as much grace and generality as I can offer. Blending families is no small task. It’s not just two people saying “I do” and riding off into the sunset. Nope. It’s more like merging multiple highways of history, values, traditions, quirks and expectations into one intersection, with no traffic lights. And the ones directing the flow (or getting caught smack in the middle) are the two people who chose each other. The two who fell in love. The two who ...

Leadership: The ever-evolving how and why

March 29, 2025

Lately, it feels like we’ve been hearing, reading and even writing about leadership non-stop. It has become a hot topic, especially with the evolving expectations of younger generations in the workplace. And let’s be honest — it all stems from one question: How? How do we help them be better? Better at their jobs, better at decision-making, better at problem-solving. And because the people being led are changing, leadership itself must shift and adapt. Makes sense, right? I recently had the absolute honor of moderating a panel featuring some truly extraordinary women ...

The confession of a hot mess mom

March 22, 2025

Did you ever see those video shorts about the different types of moms? If you want to check it out, smile a little and also 1,000% relate, take a peek at BuzzfeedVideo’s “The Different Types of Moms You Meet.” There’s the PTA mom (fully dedicated to school functions and fundraisers), Parenting Expert (always armed with the latest studies and the strongest opinions), Crunchy Mom (organic, homeopathic, and a DIY queen), Hipster Mom (effortlessly cool and ahead of all the trends), and, of course, the all-too-familiar Hot Mess Mom. Now, a full-fledged confession: I am, without a ...

A symphony of memories and possibilities

March 15, 2025

Last weekend — well, more appropriately, last Thursday and then Sunday — I felt like I was drowning in a sea of symphonic composition. Yes, I know that statement sounds like the start of a dramatic interpretation speech, and I’m OK with that. Drama, in the sense of a passion for life, is something I dive headfirst into the majority of the time. It’s welcome. Drama, in the sense of wasted energy spent dwelling in negativity, whether about your own life or gossiping about the lives of others, is not OK. That, to me, is an absolute waste of the time we are given. But back to ...

Grudges, boundaries and the path we choose

March 10, 2025

I’ll give credit where it’s due — holding a grudge takes real commitment. It’s not just a fleeting annoyance; it’s a full-time job. You have to keep that fire stoked, let it simmer under the surface and make sure you never let it go. And honestly? That sounds exhausting. It’s not that I don’t get it. Some wounds cut deep. Some betrayals sting for years. But here’s the thing — grudges don’t just affect the people involved. They spread. They hit the innocent bystanders, the ones who had nothing to do with the original fallout but still got caught in the ripple ...

Big fish, small pond — or just the turtle watching it all?

March 3, 2025

As some of you already know, if you’ve been reading my columns from the beginning, my journey has taken me through different waters. While I was raised here, after college, I ventured off — first to Cleveland before taking a big leap a few months later to chase opportunities in Washington, D.C., a place that still feels like home to me. And I firmly believe that you can feel at home in more than one place. That’s the brilliance of us as human beings — our ability to adapt, to be resilient, to see the good and hopefully, to be smart enough to stay away from the bad. With ...