Weekender #201

💼 Why mattering at work is the secret to staying engaged.

👩‍💻 This tech company wants women to know perfection ≠ success.

🌸 Slow down, tune in, and awaken your sensual self—a free 5-day experience.

🌟 Powerful ways to honor Hispanic Heritage Month at work.

Some nights I just sit still and watch them.

My daughter, 11. My son, 9. I trace their little faces with my eyes and try to freeze time. I know I can’t, but my heart tries to anyway.

Because I love being their mom. I love the way they still reach for me, how they run to me first, how I am wrapped into every part of their world. I don’t want this to end. I don’t want to let go.

I come from a culture where we don’t really have to. We stay close. We live near our parents. We raise our children together, across generations. Family isn’t a season; it’s forever. That’s how I was raised. That’s what love looked like.

And that’s what I imagined for my life too.

But living in a place where independence is expected (where 18 often means goodbye) I feel something heavy sitting on my chest. I see other parents preparing for the launch, and I ache. Because I don’t want them to go far. I want them close. I want to help raise their children one day, the way I always assumed I would. I want to be there—not just in spirit, but in the room.

This attachment I feel, it’s not unhealthy. It’s not about control. It’s about love. It’s about legacy. It’s about the way I was mothered.

My own mom was my best friend. The kind of mom who was always there. I never had to question if I was loved. I never felt alone. Losing her to cancer changed me in a way nothing else ever has. That deep connection, and that deep grief, is part of why I hold my kids so close. I know what it means to have that kind of bond. And I know what it feels like to lose it.

Maybe that’s why I struggle to stay fully present. Instead of soaking in the moment, I sometimes jump ahead. I picture the day they leave. I wonder what it will feel like to wake up to a quiet house. I already miss them, and they haven’t even gone.

And when I ask myself why this hurts so much, the answer is clear:

Because being their mom has given me a sense of purpose like nothing else ever has.

Because their love makes me feel whole.

So what happens when they grow up?

Not just logistically, but emotionally. What happens when the day-to-day routines I’ve built my life around begin to fade? When the lunch boxes go away, the hand-holding stops, and the house grows quieter? What happens when they don’t need me in the same way they do now…not because anything is wrong, but simply because they’re growing, as they should?

Who am I then?

I’m not trying to replace motherhood. I’m not looking to distract myself from it or run from the change. Being their mom has always felt like the most natural thing in the world. It’s never been something I wanted to balance with a million other things; it’s been my joy, my center, my calling. But I can feel this chapter slowly shifting, and I want to be emotionally prepared for that shift. I want to walk into it with love, not fear.

Even as they grow into their own lives, I want to stay connected in ways that still feel meaningful. I want to be someone they turn to, not out of habit, but out of trust. I want to remain close, even if the closeness looks different. Not hovering, not holding on too tight, just present, steady, and available. The kind of presence that doesn’t demand anything, but always welcomes everything.

Maybe you’ve felt this, too.

Maybe your kids are already in high school or college. Maybe you’ve had that moment, walking through a quiet house and realizing the noise, the mess, the constant need…was something sacred. Something you now miss more than you expected.

Maybe you’ve found yourself wondering: How do I stay close without clinging? How do I support their independence without losing the parts of myself that have always felt most at home in this role?

If you’ve been through this shift—or if you’re right in the middle of it—I’d love to hear how you moved through it. What helped you redefine your purpose when the day-to-day parenting started to change? How did you stay rooted in love while giving your kids the space to grow?

The part no one tells you about leadership? How much of it has nothing to do with leading. One minute you’re setting vision; the next you’re buried in approvals, budgets, and scheduling ping-pong.

The best leaders don’t brute-force their way through the admin. They build systems that handle the busywork, so their energy goes where it matters most.

📂 Projects on track (without micromanaging)

Quickbase keeps timelines, tasks, and priorities clear so you can step out of the weeds and still know progress is happening.

📑 Sales that stay tight

Close tracks every conversation and deal in one place, so relationships don’t slip through the cracks.

👥 HR that runs smoothly

Paychex streamlines payroll, benefits, and compliance so your people get what they need on time.

📅 Schedules that flex

When I Work makes shifts, PTO, and last-minute swaps easy to manage—without coverage gaps.

💳 Budgets that behave

Ramp gives you real-time visibility and control—no more digging through expense reports.

📊 Finances that stay sharp

Xero shows you cash flow, invoices, and expenses in one clear dashboard.

💬 Conversations that stay focused

Slack cuts through the noise so decisions and discussions don’t get lost in endless email chains.

When your systems actually work, you get your time back for what leadership is really about: coaching your people, thinking ahead, and making moves that matter.

📚 Read: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Meet Elizabeth Zott: a whip-smart chemist in the 1960s who accidentally becomes a cooking show host (and a quiet feminist icon). It’s witty, moving, and a reminder of what happens when women refuse to shrink.

📺 Watch: Ginny & Georgia (Netflix)

Single mom raising two kids (yes, Ginny and Austin) in a picture-perfect town that’s messier than it looks. Think teen drama + family secrets + small-town politics in one bingeable package.

🎧 Listen: Shy by Reneé Rapp

A vulnerable, moody pop anthem that feels like a late-night confession. Add it to your “repeat until healed” playlist.

If you’re spending hours wrangling messy data or manually repeating the same Excel tasks every week, it’s time to level up.

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The best part? It’s not another dry tutorial. This is a fast-paced, power-packed class that makes Excel actually fun.

What you’ll learn:

• How to instantly clean data with built-in shortcut
• What VBA macros are and how to use them (even if you’re not “techy”)
• Time-saving hacks to shrink your weekly workload by 3+ hours
• Simple automations that make you look like a spreadsheet wizard

Whether you’re a people ops pro, a project manager, or the go-to admin who makes it all run smoothly, this is the kind of Excel knowledge that makes your workday smoother and your boss more impressed.

👉 Join Miss Excel’s free class and master spreadsheets fast.

Nita is a small, fluffy dog who loves to snuggle with her dad after her mom goes to bed. She enjoys fast-paced walks with her mom, and getting attention from her four teenage boys. Curious by nature, Nita loves to investigate and sniff everything, and graciously allows almost anyone to pet her. Her friendly disposition makes people constantly curious about her breed. Her favorite things include steak, Cheez-its, her 9 p.m. nightly treats, and napping in the backyard when the weather is nice.

🐾 Got a cute fur baby? Submit them to be our pet of the week in an upcoming issue.

• • • Fidelity Investments is hiring for a Workplace Financial Consultant (Remote).

    • Gallagher Benefit Services is hiring for an Account Manager (Hammond, LA).

    • Constellation Energy is hiring for a Senior Engineering Analyst (Lusby, MD).

    • Encompass Health is hiring for a Business Development Director (Albuquerque, NM).

    • ManTech is hiring for a Staffing Manager (Herndon, VA).

⭐ View more jobs here >

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