I’ve found that running with friends is less expensive than therapy.  Having a whole hour to vent while your friends puffs along beside you nodding because she’s too out of breath to form complete sentences in response to you is a beautiful thing.

Are you feeling stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, stress and exhaustion trying to juggle your many responsibilities of work, being a mom and of well just life. 

Does your family rely on your income making you feel like you are trapped in your job with no way out?

If you’re answering yes to either of these questions you are not alone. I talk to so many women who are going through their Passion Shift that are feeling this way.

Sometimes doing mom things just drive me crazy.  CRAZY! I am always talking about how much I love my daughter, and I do.  But let's be real, there are things about being a mom that make me crave going to work. 

I was talking to my friend, Dr. Jessica Kaplan, as I made my list.  Jess is a pediatrician and has a six-year old herself so she can relate.  However, she had a few good bits of insight into the alternatives so I thought I would share my crazy eight and reasons why the good doctor says things could be worse.

Natasha Solomons’ latest book, The Gallery of Vanished Husbands is a portrait of Juliet Montague’s life from 1958 to 2006. She chooses her own future by challenging her world both culturally and religiously. Natasha’s main character looks upon herself as an outsider and strives for an independent identity without losing the closeness of her parents and children.

The relaxed pace of summer is, essentially, behind us. Fall is nearly here. Hard to believe, but true. It's time to refocus on "work" - whatever your age and stage in life.

When Lexi crossed the threshold onto the school bus this morning, it was momentous. Not necessarily for her since she rode the bus last year or even because it’s the first day of second grade. While Lexi is excited at seeing friends again and having a teacher who is known for her mad math-teaching skills, she has indicated that the first day is “no big deal” since she knows what to expect-same bus route, same Hello Kitty book bag and lunchbox, same principal and the same expectation that there will be pizza on Wednesdays in the cafeteria.

When you travel with your family, there usually needs to be a plan.  Some vacation spots even call for a spreadsheet detailing what exact time your family must dine, complete activities, wake up early and possibly even when you need to get in line to do almost anything. Well in Aruba there’s no fast pass needed.  You can vacation on your own time!

Even if you have to store them in your parent's garage, don't toss bank records and tax returns. I was so proud of myself for cleaning out the household financial files. I was told we only needed to keep financial records for 7 years for tax purposes. And who needs 20 year old bank statements, right?  YOU DO!

I have a vivid imagination.  I used to get lost in my head with all the paths my life could take that inevitably seemed to end in different versions of me being rich and famous.  I would imagine my clothes, the parties, the well-known friends and my face gracing covers of magazines.  How I would get there was much less clear or fun to dwell on.   Fame and fortune seemed the solution to all life’s ills during my late teens.