I thought I would lighten things up a little this week—with a story about mud, obstacles, teamwork, and one very tired mother. A few years ago, my youngest son and I participated in a Tough Mudder at Northstar in the Lake Tahoe area. My middle child—my oldest son—was serving in the Marines and stationed overseas. I think participating was one small way for us to feel closer to him. I can’t say I was the best “overseas mom,” but that is an entirely different guilt story for an

This month, we’re exploring resilience and grit—stories of setbacks and comebacks, lessons found within challenges, and practices that can help us become emotionally stronger.

Holy moly—what does it mean to create boundaries for yourself? We often think of boundaries as rules we establish with other people. We tell someone we will not accept disrespectful language. We decide when we are available for work. We limit how much money we are willing to lend. We protect time for our health, family, relationships, and personal interests. But boundaries are not only about what we allow from others. We also need rules for ourselves. We need to decide how we

I will not pretend to be an expert on corporate workplace boundaries. I have always been more of an entrepreneur than a corporate employee. Most of my experience comes from working in real estate, running businesses from home, and participating in the Buffini coaching program. But working for yourself does not automatically mean you have healthy boundaries. In fact, self-employment can make boundaries even more difficult. When I first became a Realtor, I believed I needed to

I do not know about you, but when I became a parent, I read as much as I could. I wanted to be the best parent possible. I wanted to understand what my children needed, how to discipline them fairly, and how to help them become healthy, responsible adults. Then I actually became a parent. Parenting is one of the most humbling experiences I have ever had. I have three children. They have the same mother, the same father, and were raised in the same household—and they are compl

I listen to several podcasts, and one I especially enjoy is Brené Brown’s. I have read her books, used her journals, and often find that something she says stays with me long after the episode ends. One discussion that stayed with me was about the difference between fitting in and belonging. In simple terms, fitting in means changing who you are so you will be accepted by a group or within a relationship. You adjust yourself, hide certain parts, and sometimes even put on a ma

Loving someone with an addiction is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a person can go through. When someone you love struggles with addiction, you can spend years believing that if you love them enough, help enough, rescue enough, explain enough, or sacrifice enough, they will finally choose differently. At least, that is what I believed. I poured countless hours into trying to save someone I loved. I missed time with my own children, rearranged holidays and family ce

For years I thought there was something wrong with me.