One of my favorite books is Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” The first chapter of the book explores how murderers, gangsters and thieves in the 1920s believed they were good, misunderstood and undervalued. If none of these people blamed themselves for any of the pain they caused others, what makes us […]
Admittedly, I am not a super-religious person. But Psalms 91 and 92 are my go-to whenever I encounter a person with a challenging personality who I can’t seem to get away from. These verses make me feel empowered, supported and free of the emotional turmoil that the person normally seems to cause me. Usually I’ll […]
No matter how positive you are, you cannot control the fact that jerks exist and that you have to interact with them in professional settings. Whenever I have to work with someone who is unreasonable, ridiculous or just plain nasty, I visualize them in my mind’s eye as the Fisher Price Little People toys I […]
I don’t really believe in New Year’s resolutions because I believe this is the time of year where they all fail. I did, however, tell myself that I was going to make a conscious effort to be consistent with workouts and healthy eating. It is difficult to maintain a workout plan when your work plan […]
This is a tough one. The first time I heard this affirmation, I was annoyed. If a person is being a jerk, then how is it my fault when I get upset? Clearly, it is that person’s fault for being a jerk! After really thinking about it, however, I realized how powerful this affirmation was. […]
A cluttered desk is commonplace for a lawyer. But it is also something that subconsciously adds to an already stressful situation. I find that when I am scattered and having difficulty focusing on one assignment, the best thing to do is clear my desk off. It will keep you from getting distracted by the 10 […]
Recently, I realized something. That little voice that used to tell me that I wasn’t good enough or that I didn’t belong here and told me I wasn’t a good writer or a good lawyer wasn’t shouting from the back of my skull like it used to in the beginning. It used to take me […]
We all know clients, adversaries, co-counsel or judges who have a reputation for having strong and sometimes challenging personalities. This affirmation reminds us to approach each of these individuals with the expectation that we will interact with their best self. This means, that when we encounter these individuals, we will have an expectation of a […]
I believe that the key to manifesting success is to avoid speaking with people about it. Sure, there may be some people who will encourage you in your journey of self improvement and may be inspired to start their own journey because of you. Others, however, won’t understand what you’re doing and may even say […]
You may love practicing law, but not every case or assignment is going to be engaging, interesting or fun. When you find yourself putting off an assignment, try to work on it first thing in the morning. With a cup of coffee in your hand and the morning’s motivation at your disposal, you will be […]
