Do you ever feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around? Have you ever wondered how to find balance between work and home? Do you find yourself swinging between burned-out and completely energized and passionate?

One of the things I’ve heard from many business owners over the years is their desire for work/life balance and their search for the secret to achieving balance once and for all. However, balance doesn’t come from outside us.

As I ponder this past year and look forward to new beginnings, one thing is top of mind: my relationships. A ritual I never miss at the beginning of each new year is taking stock of how well I have loved those most important to me the year before. One of the most precious people in my life, as you might guess, is my husband of nearly 40 years. Reflecting on what has supported our happiness and success, there are a few things that stand out, which occurred to me might be helpful to others.

Over the years, I’ve worked with scores of struggling couples. When I ask them if they reserve time [...]

Recently, I was having a really rough time functioning. I was struggling due to higher than normal family conflict, work stress, and sleep deprivation. We even missed paying some bills, which is so unusual. I wasn’t drinking water or eating nutritious food, and I was certainly not getting any exercise, which I love.  

At some point during this tough time, I ran into a friend who is a mental health professional, and after I vented a bit, she said, “You need to do something for you today.”

I thought, “Hmmm, she’s talking about self-care, but WHAT exactly does that even mean to me right now, [...]

Relationship works that way, too. Are you looking for a drive-through experience, or a rich, meaningful relationship to savor?

Temperament is one of the most underestimated influences in a child’s life. Many times, a difficult temperament trait in a child can be the primary driving force of misbehavior in children. Much of the challenges in child raising often lead back to temperament qualities, such as low adaption or high emotional intensity.

Temperament is a lot like looking into a kaleidoscope. Children's temperament traits come in a multitude of colors and designs along with countless hues and intensities. Turn the dial of a kaleidoscope slightly and everything dramatically changes. So it is with temperament. [...]

One of the greatest challenges of business is knowing when not to follow an idea. A mistake many business owners make—even large companies—is trying to do too much at one time.

• – new ventures devouring too much time and money
– initiatives and projects screaming for attention – a million little things taking you off track – pet projects that you clung to for far too long
• – too many great ideas competing for funds
• – [...]

Sometimes I get wildly angry at screens—whether an Xbox or TV—and my children’s inability to end their session the second I ask them. If I wasn't so frugally and environmentally driven, I might be tempted to throw screens out of moving vehicles and second story windows.

But then, my empathy kicks in; sometimes faster than other times. I remember what it’s like to be deeply immersed in something and suddenly asked to stop. If I’m engrossed in reading a book, texting a friend, writing a letter, or brushing my teeth, it’s unlikely that I’ll stop doing the activity at the exact moment I am [...]

Internet Addiction, Texting Addiction, Screen Addiction, and Gaming Addiction are all phrases we hear in modern times but are they really a thing? Well, yes they are and no they are not. What?! Keep on reading to see why this is not a clear-cut answer.