The Holidays Are Busy. Your Mind Doesn’t Have to Be.

For many, holidays usually come and go - full of family, memories, good food, and the kind of joy that only connection brings.

But then comes the aftermath: the clean-up, the next holiday plans, the messages, the emails, the planning and logistics, and the quiet (or, sometimes loud) pressure to kee...

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The Leadership Lessons Hidden in My Family’s Story

 Our family’s adoption stories span continents, cultures, unexpected challenges, and a whole lot of joy and gratitude. The unique way our family formed has also been one of my greatest teachers in leadership, particularly around humility, empathy, and honoring diverse perspectives and experiences.

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Humility: A Top Leadership Skill No One Talks About

Our college senior, Allison, spent two weeks in Tanzania with my husband, Ryan, and I swear every day I’d wake up to another photo that stopped me in my tracks.

But this one? This one takes the cake!

A little backstory: a small team from our church, along with engineering students from the Univers...

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How A Little Connection Goes A Long Way emotional intelligence habit happiness performance well-being

My husband and I take an annual trip to Austin, Texas, to see dear college friends. 

The trip was everything I needed: good food (can you ever have too many tacos?), good music, driving and walking through beautiful scenery, lots of hot tub time, and late nights filled with laughter and conversatio...

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Love Your Lawyer Day - Celebrate the Humans Behind Law appreciation emotional intelligence gratitude self-care well-being

Let’s be honest: lawyers and legal professionals don’t always get the credit we deserve. We’re often the punchline, not the headline. So it’s nice to have a day that celebrates us and reminds everyone that we’re human, too!

Love Your Lawyer Day is a chance to pause and recognize not just the work w...

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From Deflection to Connection: Rethinking Praise appreciation confidence emotional intelligence gratitude happiness imposter syndrome self-awareness vulnerability

World Gratitude Day - a beautiful reminder each year to pause and reflect on the power of appreciation. It is a day meant to highlight how expressing gratitude and receiving it with openness can ripple outward to strengthen relationships and communities.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect …...

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What’s In Your Carry On? (And What’s Weighing You Down?) authenticity confidence efficiency emotional intelligence goals growth happiness having what matters productivity resilience well-being

I always enjoy when I can give one of my favorite presentations: “From Self-Doubt to Self-Confidence in the Legal Profession: Imposter Syndrome in the Legal Profession.” I never tire of this topic. No matter the audience—whether new associates at orientation or seasoned partners at a retreat—I alway...

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Stone by Stone: Lessons in Leadership and Grit from My Grandparents grit growth holidays mindset resilience strength tenacity

In the legal profession, we talk a lot about innovation, fresh ideas, and staying ahead of the curve. All of that is important.

But sometimes the most powerful lessons don’t come from what’s new - they come from the people who’ve already walked the path before us. Mentors, colleagues, family member...

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National Wellness Month + Labor Day = The Perfect Time to Recharge having what matters stress well-being work/life balance

 I love that August is National Wellness Month.

Even though I'm writing this as the “official” month is ending, it’s a good reminder: wellness doesn’t live in one month. But it can feel like we may need it most in these shifting seasons, when routines speed up and life asks more of us.

Here in M...

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What Karaoke Taught Me About Values (Yes, Really) change fear growth mindset

 I sang karaoke last night. Here’s why that matters.

I don’t usually sing karaoke. Let’s be honest: my voice is a light, airy soprano - sweet and well-pitched, but better suited for church choirs or Mozart arias than pop songs. (Someone once said I sound like a 10-year-old boy soprano before his vo...

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Not Every Deer Is a Danger: A Lesson in Self-Awareness change fear habit stress

I was enjoying a quiet morning at home, sipping coffee, basking in the silence and stillness, when I heard intense barking from the backyard - like, jolt you from your seat and make you spill your coffee barking.

Sadie, our sweet rescue dog, was in full-on alert mode - barking, tense, eyes locked. ...

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Just because it rains, it doesn’t have to pour change efficiency habit productivity

Coffee in hand, I sat down to start the day … only to realize my laptop charging cord was still plugged in under the conference room table - 40 minutes away.

And as luck would (or wouldn’t) have it, the weather forecast for the day was not in my favor. Cue the flash flood warnings. Cue the pounding...

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