Some people always slide the conversation into the negative, and you leave feeling smaller, heavier, strangely drained. But what happens when you can't walk away—when it's family, a coworker, or someone you love? Protecting your peace isn't always about leaving. Sometimes it's learning to stay in the room without absorbing everything the other person carries. Compassion and boundaries can live side by side. You don't have to carry everything just to prove you care.

Today I witnessed a full-blown rooster committee in a parking lot. Six roosters with a clear pecking order taught me everything about workplace dynamics and respect. There was the self-appointed CEO, the confused follower, the chaos creator, and Big Kahuna himself aggressively patrolling like he owned the city. Meanwhile, I outsourced parenting to feathered friends just to get my daughter in her car seat. Sometimes life's best lessons arrive in completely random moments.