A few weeks ago, I shared a photo of my backyard lettuce. It wasn’t a pretty picture – droopy leaves, sad little stems, and a serious case of what looked like gardening failure.

After planting with high hopes, I watched the seedlings wilt in the summer heat, and I started to mentally write them off...

When was the last time you did something creative - not to produce, perfect, or perform, but simply to play?

This Friday, May 30 is National Creativity Day, a reminder that creativity isn’t just for artists, musicians, or designers. Creativity belongs to all of us. And for those of us in law - wher...

This week, I tried something new: growing vegetables. Specifically, lettuce. I’ve always loved the idea of stepping out into the backyard and grabbing a few fresh leaves for a salad. Simple. Healthy. Satisfying.

So this past Tuesday evening, my husband Ryan and I pulled out the starter plants I bou...

It’s that time of year again - the end of the semester. I’ve been reflecting on the students (almost all 3L’s) in our upper-level, two-credit “Well-Being and Professional Formation” course at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. It was an honor to co-teach with Professor Jerry Organ and to wa...

In the legal profession, we’re taught to show confidence, control, and command of the facts. We research thoroughly. We write persuasively. We present our arguments with authority. That’s what we’re trained to do, and often, what we’re rewarded for.

But what we’re not trained to do is show uncertai...

What if one of the most powerful ways to reduce stress, build stronger teams, and feel more fulfilled as a lawyer or legal professional didn’t require more hours or another certification?

What if it just meant being a bit more generous?

Last week, I had the privilege of emceeing the Lawyers Concer...

This past week was my little sister’s birthday, and as I was looking through old photos, I found one that really made me pause. It’s a picture of us as kids, riding our bikes. I’m in front, glancing back over my shoulder, and she’s behind me, looking up and following my lead.

That simple image sp...

When’s the last time you did something completely new?

Recently, I found myself standing in an empty church sanctuary, surrounded by over 20 handbells, wearing fancy headphones, and trying not to mess up my part in a professional music recording.

Here’s the backstory: a friend of mine coordinate...

This past Sunday, we all set our clocks forward by one hour. It’s a tiny shift - just 60 minutes - but it has an undeniable impact. The mornings feel darker, the evenings stretch longer, and for a few days, our routines feel slightly off. But then, almost without noticing, we adjust.

This small, de...

A couple of weeks ago, Minnesota was in a deep freeze - schools were closed, my weather app showed -15°F with a "real feel" of -30°F, and I had to bundle up in a stocking cap and winter coat just to step outside and head to the law school to teach (law school classes are never canceled, it seems). 

A few years ago, I had one of those relentless weeks - the kind where every minute felt accounted for before the day even began. 

Client calls, urgent emails, back-to-back meetings, late-night work … and no time to even think about taking care of myself. I told myself I would catch up on sleep late...

Let’s be real - lawyers are trained to argue. 

We build cases, poke holes in opposing arguments, and advocate fiercely. But outside of the courtroom? How we disagree matters just as much as whether we’re “right.”

I was scrolling Instagram the other day and I saw this quote by Adam Grant:

“Thought...