Finding Direction in Detours

Hi World!

I’m Brigitte, and this is the beginning of something new. After years of hearing “How do you do it all?” from friends, colleagues, students, and even strangers, I’ve decided to start writing it down. Not just the polished outcomes, but the messy middle; the detours, the pivots, the late-night problem-solving sessions, and the quiet victories that come from making lemon juice out of life’s lemons.

I wear many hats: HR consultant, adult educator, host mom, graduate student, travel planner, and soon-to-be expat. My days are a blend of spreadsheets, counseling, problem solving, HR meetings, “ubering” kids to sports, family dinners, cultural exchanges and graduate homework. It’s not always graceful, but it’s always intentional. I’ve learned to organize chaos, to adapt quickly, and to find meaning in the unexpected.

This blog is my way of sharing the behind-the-scenes. The systems I build to stay sane. The questions I ask when things fall apart. The ways I learn, formally and informally, from every curveball life throws. I believe learning doesn’t just happen in classrooms; it happens in kitchens, airports, client meetings, and quiet moments of reflection (at night when I can´t sleep…darn menopause hormones!). It happens when we choose to grow instead of retreat.

So if you’re someone who’s juggling too much, dreaming big, or simply trying to make sense of your own detours, welcome. I’ll be writing about what I have learned works, what doesn’t, and what I’m still figuring out. I’ll share tools, stories, and maybe a few recipes for resilience.

Because life doesn’t come with a manual, but it does come with lemons and curve balls! And I’ve gotten pretty good at turning those into something positive.