Parenting in a blended family can feel like the emotional Olympics — constant chaos, love, and lessons in patience. Here’s how we’re rebuilding connection, one family meeting (and meltdown) at a time
I ghosted the woman I love — twice. This is the story of how fear, shame, and healing collided, and how we rebuilt trust one honest conversation at a time.
Gaslighting and narcissism often go hand in hand — but they’re not the same sport. This post breaks down the emotional tactics behind each and helps you take inventory of your truth. Includes gentle affiliate links for online therapy and a cozy toolkit to rebuild trust.
Gaslighting, ghosting, and co-parenting cage matches—welcome to the Emotional Olympics. I ghosted my now-wife, wrestled through our momma bear years, and somehow retired from the games with love, laughter, and a gold medal in second chances.
Throw It Out Thursday wasn’t just about my own guilt...I wrote a whole blog post on it. Why letting go of guilt (religious, family, or society’s expectations) is the ultimate self-care. Spoiler: the house gets cleaned, but the guilt has to go.
Self-care isn’t all spa days and candles. Here’s the awkward truth about real self-care, why it feels messy, and how to make it actually work for you.
I spent August 3rd through 11th in Florida visiting my aunt. She has stage 3b lung cancer — not small cell, which apparently makes a difference. But I’ll be honest, the details didn’t matter as much to me as the feeling I couldn’t shake while I was there:
I haven’t talked to a therapist since March. Not because I don’t need one — I absolutely do. But when my insurance changed and my old therapist stopped taking it, I lost the one person I could vent to without guilt. And honestly? Starting over just sounded… exhausting. Because
Grief is weird. There, I said it. It’s awkward, unpredictable, inconvenient, and sometimes it comes with lizards. I spent the last eight days in Florida visiting my Aunt Dee Dee. It was a last-minute decision to go—one of those gut-pulls you can’t ignore because everyone was worried,
A raw, relatable story about burnout, boundaries, and the messy middle of healing — from work and marriage to motherhood and self-trust.
When betrayal rewires your nervous system, trust doesn’t just feel hard — it feels dangerous. But healing is possible. And it starts with you. Let’s not sugarcoat it—when someone you loved, believed in, or depended on hurts you, something shifts. It’s like your body installs a silent
There’s no manual for this kind of news. You hear the word cancer, and suddenly your brain is spinning faster than a toddler after their first sip of soda. Except this isn’t a sugar rush — it’s dread, confusion, and the weird urge to cry and make inappropriate
Burnout and Mental Health
Let’s get real: sales is not just about smiling through a pitch or rattling off benefits. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that starts before the first call and doesn’t stop, even when you hit your quota. Whether you’re cold-calling strangers, following up with ghosters, or trying to
Boundaries and Self Trust
This Wasn’t Just a Breakup I’ve been watching someone I love sit in the thick of heartbreak. It’s not the dramatic, movie-scene kind — no throwing things or screaming into pillows. It’s quieter. Heavier. Slower. The kind of grief that lingers behind the eyes and in the
Burnout and Mental Health
It’s More Than Just “I’m Tired” There’s tired. Then there’s “the lights are on but no one’s home” tired. Neurodivergent burnout isn’t just needing a nap or taking a mental health day. It’s the slow, creeping exhaustion that builds from masking, over-functioning, people-pleasing,
Messy Growth and Personal Development
Parenting is already a full-time emotional job, but when you’re battling your own anxiety while raising an anxious child or teen, it’s like trying to be a lighthouse in a storm while also trying not to sink. You want to support them through every panic attack, every meltdown,
Boundaries and Self Trust
The Burnout Behind the “Yes” Confession time: anyone else just not reply to a text or email so you don’t have to say no? Yep. It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem. Honestly, I could be the poster child for people-pleasing. Fear of disapproval? Check. Zero boundaries because…
Burnout and Mental Health
Feeling mentally fried from making decisions all day? You’re not broken. You're just burned the hell out. Here’s how to overcome decision fatigue during life transitions without losing your mind (or your snack stash).
Messy Growth and Personal Development
The Encounter I was standing in line at Family Dollar—because yes, I’m also ballin’ on a budget, so let’s not pretend I’m above anything—when a family in front of me caught my attention. They looked rough. Clothes dirty. Hair wild. Teeth mostly MIA. There was
Healing in Progress
Let’s be honest: I didn’t start gardening for my mental health. I started because I thought, “How hard could it be to grow a few vegetables?” Spoiler: Harder than expected. Also more emotionally revealing than I signed up for. But somewhere between planting 17 squash and crying over
Boundaries and Self Trust
Living with ADHD? It’s like your brain is juggling flaming swords while riding a unicycle—on a tightrope—over a pit of forgotten tasks. It’s chaotic. It’s exhausting. But it’s not hopeless. Beneath the swirl of distractions and impulsive detours is a brain that’s wired
Start the Conversation
Let’s be real—mental illness has spent way too long hiding in the back corner like the awkward cousin no one talks about at family gatherings. But guess what? The silence isn’t helping anyone. If we want to break the cycles of dysfunction—in our families, our friendships,
Boundaries and Self Trust
You ever have one of those days where your brain is like, “Let’s overthink everything, relive embarrassing moments from 2007, and also—why not spiral about your entire life’s purpose while we’re at it?” Yeah. Same. Welcome to the club, friend. It’s cozy, a little chaotic,
Start the Conversation
In a world where mental health struggles often lurk in the shadows, breaking the silence is essential for healing and connection. Conversations about mental health have the power to transform lives, foster understanding, and ultimately rebuild trust between those affected and their loved ones. But where do we start? Navigating