Resilient Living #3 February 26, 2026 It’s been a little over a month since my last blog—the one where I talked about Alex, signs, angels, grief, gratitude, and somehow surviving another earth-shifting loss with Mike. I ended that post feeling steady, present, grounded… or as grounded as someone can be when life is still swinging.Continue reading “Choosing Myself Again (Even in the Middle of the Storm)”
Category Archives: Resilient Living
Resilient Living: When Life Kicks You Down Again (and Again)
Resilient Living #2 – January 22, 2026 I wrote my last post on November 30, 2025. I was proud of it. I felt strong. Peaceful, even. I talked about protecting my energy, setting boundaries, breathing through the heavy rooms. I hit publish and went to bed feeling like I’d finally found my footing after almostContinue reading “Resilient Living: When Life Kicks You Down Again (and Again)”
Work Life Wisdom: From Spiral to Leading with Heart
Work Life Wisdom #2 Two weeks after Alex was cremated, I opened my laptop at the kitchen table. Full time. I work from home, drive to our three marinas in South Carolina, and make the 3.5-hour haul to our big Tennessee lakefront—a marina, busy restaurant, and campground spread across one massive tract. Six companies don’tContinue reading “Work Life Wisdom: From Spiral to Leading with Heart”
Early Days of Grief: The Mistakes I Made (and the Signs I Missed)
Early Days of Grief #2 The Elvis miracle on January 6, 2021 proved Alex could reach me. But the first days, weeks, months? Pure fight-or-flight chaos. Signs were everywhere—I just didn’t recognize them until later. Lots of them. The Raw Truth Alex passed in the middle of the night on October 6, 2020. I foundContinue reading “Early Days of Grief: The Mistakes I Made (and the Signs I Missed)”
Signs from Alex: The Rainbows I Begged For (and the Jeep That Whispered “Yes”)
Signs & Connections #2 The Elvis miracle on January 6, 2021—poster, beer, song, movie—shouted Alex was near. But the first weeks? That’s when my broken heart learned to ask… and his love answered in whispers that still bring me to my knees. If you’re grieving, please—open your mind and heart. Ask for a sign. YourContinue reading “Signs from Alex: The Rainbows I Begged For (and the Jeep That Whispered “Yes”)”
Leading with Empathy: How Grief Taught Me to See the Whole Person
Work Life Wisdom #1 Five years after Alex left us, I’m still COO of six companies, Mimi to two wild grandsons, and the one who feeds nine chickens in the evenings. Three years sober. Two years off Klonopin. I sleep most nights now. But grief doesn’t clock out. It shows up in my car betweenContinue reading “Leading with Empathy: How Grief Taught Me to See the Whole Person”
Rising from Grief: My Spiritual, Personal, and Professional Rebirth
Introduction: Reflecting on 2021 In 2021, I shared several raw and heartfelt blog posts about navigating the profound grief of losing my son, Alex, at 23. My most recent post that year laid bare the weight of my pain—struggling to get out of bed, to lead at work, to find purpose without him. I wroteContinue reading “Rising from Grief: My Spiritual, Personal, and Professional Rebirth”