What do you say to the client who unloads their personal issues on you?

I have a history of being the scapegoat. First this happened in my foster family, and then it happened in 2 different workplaces. The similarities were that these environments had a history of conflicts and difficulties before I arrived. (I learnt about it gradually but not immediately.) They used to have a strong hierarchy, and disturbed communication among each other. For my part, I was the new employee, needed onboarding and support. Therefore, I was very transparent about my weak spots but eager to learn. At the beginning everything used to go well but within a very short period of time the scapegoating would start. After these experiences I am very sensitive to this and I can spot this kind of behaviour very fastly. I am just afraid that this would happen in my new workplace as well. And I don't really know how to react except to leave the toxic environment. (Because in these 3 cases this was the best decision I made.)

I have multiple sclerosis, a masters degree in health administration, a WFH job and enjoy my life but there are days that I struggle. Anybody out there agree?

What other holidays does your family celebrate? Fun, festive or silly traditions. Let's hear them! I'll go first... My son is now a teenager, but he still has to leave cookies, milk and a letter to Santa. He got a gift bag Christmas Eve after church from "Krampus", the German evil spirit who's the bad brother of Santa. The note said "BAKE THESE FOR SANTA". Our 15 year old ATE the cookie dough! So, he awoke this morning to a note back "Dasher ate cookie dough, oopps" and there was milk, melted chocolate and raw dough "poops" on the back patio. Hey, I asked for FuNNNy and WierD, right?! Have a wonderful day and week, everyone!

So this is for you bosses and HR folk, what are your thoughts? Thanks and happy solstice festival of your choice!

With Party City’s recent announcement to close all its stores after nearly 40 years in business, many are now facing an uncertain future. Whether this closure directly impacts you or someone you know, moments like these remind us how fragile stability can feel—and how important community and resilience are in times of change. As someone who has faced layoffs before, I understand the weight of navigating uncertainty. It’s not just about finding a new job; it’s about maintaining your financial and emotional well-being while staying hopeful for the future. I recently wrote an article titled "Navigating Layoffs with Financial Resilience", sharing actionable strategies that have helped me weather similar storms. In it, I explore: → Budgeting for today and tomorrow – Separating essentials from non-essentials. → Making savings work harder – Utilizing high-yield savings accounts to stretch funds. → Alternative income streams – Fractional work, consulting, and platforms like LinkedIn or Upwork. → The importance of upskilling and networking – Growing professionally even during transitions. → Leveraging free resources – Tools like Women Talk Money or following inspiring voices in finance. You can read the full article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-layoffs-womans-guide-financial-resilience-lontoc-mba-vn49e/ To those affected by this news or navigating layoffs elsewhere: know that you’re not alone. This community exists to uplift, support, and share resources that can make a difference. Together, we can rewrite what resilience looks like. Let’s keep the conversation going: What has helped you stay resilient in the face of career uncertainty? I’d love to hear your insights or experiences.

I'm very close to the GenX line, however, I'll give a great example of this workforce gen/manager trauma that never ever took place in the 80's. I started working in the mid 80's. My manager was not much older than me and was one of the best managers. Fast forward to 1994, again, manager was my age, and was THE best manager I ever had. It's not about your generation, it's about many different factors. It's how you were raised, it's cultural, watch the latchkey kids and see how hard they work (because they watched their single mother manage 3 jobs), and for those of us who remember our dad's that worked (my mother stayed home to raise us), he NEVER worked on the weekend (unless your father had a job that was a weekend type job). Our world has taught us we need to categorize ourselves, our work and management styles based on age, and the like. When in fact, I know kids who are maybe 18 years old that have fantastic work ethics and are very good at managing their peers! Because guess what? We learned it. If you are a manager, and have been told you are one of the best ones, then ask yourself, where did you learn your great skills? Share that with us! No matter your generational work age, be it 30, 40, 50 or 60, anyone can be a bad manager or good one. I appreciate every gen because I learn something from them. Remember when smart phones came out? Yeah, I was asking a student 20 years younger how to make words all caps. It's okay, embrace the changes and know this, good managers come in all sizes, shapes and ages.