The Joyful Attorney

Today, we are discussing burn out and wellbeing strategies for attorneys with Tom Grden.Thomas J. Grden is an employee of the State Bar of Michigan, working as a Clinical Case Manager for the Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program. He has experience working with impaired professionals, substance use disorders, and mental health diagnoses, and facilitates a weekly support group open to licensed attorneys in the state of Michigan. Mr. Grden presents regularly on topics pertaining to law student and lawyer wellbeing, and is also an ICLE contributor. His written work has been published on multiple occasions in the Michigan Bar Journal's Practicing Wellness column. He holds a master's degree in counseling with a focus on addictions, earned in 2017 from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder: When does nourishing self-confidence become damaging self-love?

How to stay chill when the everything within and around you is getting heated

Quit while you're ahead: Don't fall into the damaging trap of the sunk cost fallacy

Finding the delicate balance between debilitating pessimism and toxic positivity.Laura@TheJoyfulAttorney.com

There's enough drama in the world already, so be mindful not to add your own. 

If you want to do more in your life, then you need to discover where you can make a sacrifice. 

To Learn more about Elizabeth, check her out:@wellnessElizabethVallejo@TheAnchor___www.TheAnchorretreatproperty.comhttps://a.co/d/dRCuqrj

Dear Colleagues:Aside from keeping indoor plants alive (although my success rate is improving), one of the skills I've always struggled with in life is letting events or people just … be. That sage advice from The Beatles has gone way over my head. Until now. What do I mean by that? It means knowing when to stand down from an exhausting battle against events or people that can never be won. However, I've had a bit of a game-changing breakthrough in my mindset and I'm talking about it on the latest edition of The Joyful Attorney Podcast. The episode is about knowing the difference between fighting the good fight and walking away when the outcome is out of your hands, whether it be losing a job, or trying to bend a partner to your will over a fitness regime. Sometimes a ‘meh' and bowing out is the best approach for your emotional mindset.If, like me, you love taking on the world every day and winning (even Skip-bo on family game night!) then it's not an easy step to make. But, believe me, it's worth trying. Until next time, stay joyful! 

Be humble, be self-aware and be an equal to others if you truly want to repair a broken relationship. 

Special Guest Andrea Czobor where we discuss tantra, pleasure, and our upcoming retreat in Tulum, Mexico Oct. 12-16.Find more info about Andrea here: https://www.instagram.com/czeizetheday/and use code JOYFUL at sign up to get 20% off of accommodations at our Sacred Sisterhood Retreathttps://www.andreaczobor.com/tulumsacredsisterhoodretreat

Celebrating the unstoppable power of a sisterhood to restore joy, balance and harmony to your life. Our lux retreat tickets with options for onsite or offsite housing are available now. https://www.andreaczobor.com/tulumsacredsisterhoodretreatCzeize The Day

When despair is sucking you down like quicksand, stop struggling, accept where you are, but look for a way out. 

 Banishing spite, pettiness and the desire for revenge is against human nature, but it brings the biggest rewards. Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkout

Dear Colleagues:What do skydiving, playing trumpet in a jazz band, jogging on the beach at sunrise and wrestling with puppies have in common? They are all activities seen on commercials for medicines, during the part when a triple-speed voice tells you that a harmful effect of Xenefphhotlyll could be bleeding from the eyes or instant combustion. Big Pharma doesn't want to cause too much lasting harm to people. After all, it's bad for business and there's legal liability. But it could happen. Unfortunately, we are the same. If we had commercials for ourselves, then we would talk up all our positives such as giving love and care, being an amazing friend, parent or pet owner. But, there would also be mentions of sometimes being mean, argumentative and short-tempered. Heck, that's basically me before 8AM.  No matter how much we want to follow the mantra of ‘do no harm' in life, it's going to happen. However, there are ways to mitigate that and it's the topic of the latest edition of The Joyful Attorney Podcast, which covers a pretty wide spectrum from Marxism to rave culture to The Good Place. Nevertheless, there is something out there that has no harm and all benefits. That's my group mindset coaching program, Joyful On Demand. Through weekly coaching sessions with your fellow legal professionals and access to webinars and a wealth of enriching material, you can help restore boundaries, win back control of your calendar and get rid of those emotional triggers, along with so much more. What's more, the first month is absolutely free with the code JOYFUL at checkout. No harm, instead it's 100% harm-ony! Until next time, stay joyful, and keep skydiving!Laura

I've just finished watching a mind-bending show called Severance. It follows a group of people who work at a company so secretive and controlling that their minds are altered at the end of the working day, so that when they leave the office they have no memory of what happened there at all.  Imagine that! Arriving home, unable to fume over the incompetent boss, the coworker who won't get off their phone, the mystery thief stealing your lunch, a day of micro-frustrations. Actually, this doesn't sound all that bad in retrospect. I should look into this. What all this leads to is the theme of the latest edition of The Joyful Attorney Podcast which has just dropped. It's about control, and how it can eventually leave you powerless. In a way, my group coaching program, Joyful on Demand, involves mental severance. While you are on our weekly coaching calls, exploring the wealth of material available to you 24/7, or simply following our inspirational group chat, you are taking a pause from the stress of your working life and giving yourself the tools and skills you need to restore joy to every facet of your life. The first month is completely free at checkout with the code JOYFUL, so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Especially not your memory. Yet. That might be a feature to come. Until next time, stay joyful!

This weekend, the final episode of ‘Succession' will air. After that, some of us will be bereft of more stories from the lives of a group of truly despicable, emotionally-stunted, ruthless siblings as they stab each other in the back in the battle to take over the family business of running a regime-changing media behemoth. To celebrate the brilliance of the show, the latest episode of The Joyful Attorney Podcast tries to identify which of the four children of Logan Roy can be considered the most ‘joyful'. It wasn't an easy task, but you might be surprised by the result. Building Better Professional Boundaries Something else that unites the feuding foursome is that all could benefit from joining my very special webinar this Friday 26th May on Building Better Professional Boundaries. It would certainly help them to avoid certain pitfalls like having anything to do with Cousin Greg. Instead, they would learn how they could empower themselves to be the CEO of their own professional and personal lives without creating enemies.  

As well as educated guesses, learn the importance of educated questions to really feel empowered. Build Better Boundaries Webinar - May 26, 2023

The Joyful Attorney talks to Nadine Heitz, an immigration lawyer who teaches us how to embrace technology as a way to free up our precious time both in the office and at home.   nadine@heitzimmigrationlaw.comwww.TIPLawyers.comhttps://immigrationlawyerstoolbox.com/magazineBuild Better Boundaries Webinar May 26, 2023

A new episode of The Joyful Attorney Podcast has arrived and it's the hardest one I have ever had to write and record. It concerns the tragic and untimely passing of a member of the immigration attorney community. We have been mourning and reflecting on the loss of Charles Kunz, a devoted husband and father, and a dedicated attorney. The episode is also a call for each one of us to look at how we act on social media and how everything we post, especially in the heat of the moment, has consequences. Sometimes, awful ones. Let's all strive to be kinder, more compassionate people and realize that what is going on internally is not always what people portray on the outside, especially on social media. 

A special guest, Patricia Beitler, from Velocitas Interactive Marketing and Public Relations Agency tells us how branding can make you stand out from the crowd, even if you don't want to be on billboards.   Find more about Patricia Beitler and Velocitas here:Velocitas WebsiteVelocitas InstagramVelocitas LinkedInPatricia's LinkedIn Join me on a special webinar on May 26 to Build Better Boundaries

Don't be afraid of fear, or it will control the emotional path of your life. Here's how to stop that from happening. Build Better Boundaries

Learn more about Lisa Graham, Rev. Doc. Lisa below:revdoclisa@integralhealer.com http://www.IntegralHealer.comTransform Your Relationships with Safe ConversationsFollow Rev Doc Lisa on Eventbrite@IntegralHealer on InstagramAnd Build Better Boundaries with me, The Joyful Attorney, on May 26, 2023 

Contentment and security comes from accepting our reality as it is, not fighting against it. Healthy boundaries are the limits we set for ourselves in relationships and interactions with others, as well as the expectations we have for how others should treat us. These boundaries can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and they protect our well-being by ensuring that our needs and desires are respected. By setting and enforcing healthy boundaries, we demonstrate respect for ourselves and our needs. This self-respect can empower us to take responsibility for our lives and make choices that align with our values and priorities, ultimately helping us accept and navigate the reality of our circumstances.That special webinar takes place on May 26th and you can find all the details here.

Almost 60 years ago, Mick Jagger lamented that he couldn't get no satisfaction. Remarkably, he's still doing so despite trying, trying, trying and trying.Well, I have a mindset solution for The Rolling Stones and it's the topic of this week's episode of The Joyful Attorney Podcast. We learn that it is not circumstances that cause dissatisfaction but our mental approach to them. You'll also learn how to avoid a rookie mistake with Pringles. And pick up a grammar tip. What more could you need!?Building Better Professional BoundariesActually, one thing we all need for satisfaction in our professional lives is boundaries. To learn more on this crucial topic, including how you can deal with coworkers or clients contacting you at all hours, and still maintain excellent relationships with them, then do join me for a special webinar on May 26th. For those of you in Florida, the session has been approved for CLE Credit. https://buildbetterbounaries.eventbrite.com

The Importance of ExpertiseOne of the keys to success in your business is knowing when to bring in expertise. Today's special podcast guest is Osiris Nuñez with In React to talk about how navigating the digital realm is an area where delegating to professionals is a must. Connect with Osiris Nunez at osiris@inreact.comwww.inreact.com

Dear Colleagues:Just under two years ago, I kicked off The Joyful Attorney Podcast with a mission statement: to bring joy, harmony and balance to the wonderful listeners with insightful mindset learnings and quite a lot of oversharing, as it turns out.Unlike 44% of all podcasts that are launched, I made it past three episodes. Indeed, according to Amplifi and Podnews there are only 760,000 that go past the 10-shows mark. And only 156,000 of those go out on a weekly basis. The Joyful Attorney Podcast ticks all those boxes with episode number 100 dropping today.. To celebrate this special occasion, I have tried to condense a century of top tips to transform your personal and professional life into under ten minutes. Even less if you speed me up and make me sound like I'm inhaling helium.At this point, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone out there who has been listening, to give me the encouragement to make it to 200 episodes… some time in spring 2025.Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkout

Swapping sofa time for sleep: 6 self-care hacks to transform your life overnight.Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkoutEpisode on Sleep

Never stop investigating and never stop experimenting to find even more value and enjoyment from your life. Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkout

Before you can truly love and value others, you need to learn how to love and value yourself. And that's not easy in our society. Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkout

Reframe the adversities of your past to help them reshape your future.Join Joyful on Demand for free for 30 days using code JOYFUL at checkout

Rejection isn't real, but it sure feels like it. How to feel the fear and do it anyway. 

 Take a look around and appreciate those who show up for you when it matters the most.Join my Mindset Group Coaching Program, Joyful on Demand, for 30 days free with code JOYFUL at checkout. 

Ruby L. Powers is the founder of Powers Law Group, P.C., a Houston-Based, full-service immigration law firm focusing on immigration law including waivers of inadmissibility, asylum, deportation, family– and employment-based immigration. She is a Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law. She authored AILA's Build and Manage Your Successful Immigration Law Practice (Without Losing Your Mind) and recently began providing law practice management consulting services. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Law, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Leadership Houston, and American Leadership Forum. Powers is an Adjunct Professor for South Texas College of Law Houston and a business instructor for HCC.  She is a former candidate for public office and advocate for immigrants and her community at large.Linkedin: RubyPowersTwitter: @RubyPowersLawFacebook: @RubyPowersLawInstagram: @PowerslawgroupPersonal Instagram: @RubylPowersLaw Firm website: www.RubyPowersLaw.comGeneral: www.RubyPowers.com

Don't be too hard on yourself if you lie, it's natural. But try an alternative by being radically honest to yourself and others. Another great way to start 2023 is to join me and your fellow legal professionals on a special free webinar on 19th January at 1PM ET which is a coaching discovery session. You'll learn what coaching actually entails and how it can make a positive change in your life. I can't wait to see you there. Articles referenced:https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/are-humans-the-only-animals-that-liehttps://psychcentral.com/blog/deliberately-untruthful-normal-vs-abnormal-lying#types-of-lying

The conversation touched on the work with her organization which is about the liberating feeling of dancing but it covered a lot of Joyful Attorney hot topics as well: belonging, identity and so much more.Join us with Adult Girl Scout Troop 305 for a special event where we will explore the Simply M Method, Sound Bath and Self-Compassion Meditation. Another great way to start 2023 is to join me and your fellow legal professionals on a special free webinar on 19th January at 1PM ET which is a coaching discovery session. You'll learn what coaching actually entails and how it can make a positive change in your life. I can't wait to see you there. 

The crucial difference between making a dream come true and living in a fantasy land.  Joyful on Demand: Free Discovery Webinar

To understand what you truly want from your life, you have to see it first. Joyful on Demand: Free Discovery WebinarJulia Van't Hul: How to Make a Vision Board

The World Cup Final was packed with goals, drama, emotion and so many life lessons to be learned. 

Revenge may be sweet, but the damage to your mindset is bitter. Joyful on Demand

 Labeling may be a useful way of organizing your kitchen supplies, just don't end up doing it to yourself. Joyful on Demand

Why the simplest solution can solve one of the toughest problems people constantly endure at holiday time. Joyful on Demand

Humans are living a dichotomy. We need other people for our survival needs but most of all we need to rely on ourselves. How can we square this circle?Resources: Real Love by Sharon SalzbergRadical Compassion by Tara BrachSelf-Compassion Step-by-Step by Kristen KnifeThe Wise Heart by Jack KornfieldThe Way of Integrity by Martha BeckYou belong by Sebene SelassieBraiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer A New Earth by Eckhart TolleMindful of Race by Ruth KingTrue Refuge by Tara BrachThe Untethered Soul by Michael A. SingerA Better Life in a Better World by Piero FalciJoyful on Demand

Sit back, relax, and breathe. There is more than enough of everything you need to succeed in life to go around, so embrace abundance.  Join Joyful on Demand free for 30 days with code JOYFUL at checkout

Dear Colleagues:Some of you political junkies out there reading this might be a little bleary-eyed having stayed up late to watch the midterm election results come in. You may also have been clutching some cushions fearing the worst in terms of a crushing Republican red wave. But at time of writing it hasn't happened. Everything is still up for grabs, when it shouldn't be after nearly a billion dollars was poured into Republican campaigns. Today's episode of the The Joyful Attorney Podcast is a little different. It's off-the-cuff, from the heart and recorded when we still don't know the full story of Tuesday night. To be honest, it may not be everyone's cup of tea, to borrow a wonderful English expression. But it's about keeping a mindset of hope, positivity and abundance when everything looks doomed. It's also a reflection on how politics is always personal. The two cannot be disconnected.  Working on our mindsets is the core of Joyful on Demand, my unique, group-coaching program for legal professionals. Not to mention access to free classes such as the one on Mindful Communication for Lawyers I am doing today, oh, and a book club. Everyone loves a book club. https://www.thejoyfulattorney.com/joyfulondemandFor now, stay hopeful and stay joyful. Laura

Scarcity mindsets: our primal fears of not having enough keep us in a state of stress, anxiety and push our own personal integrity to the limit.   Professionalism CLE: Mindful Communication for Lawyers.Joyful on Demand Free for 30 days with Code JOYFUL at checkout

How do you respond to the actions and communication of others when your truth is not necessarily the same as theirs?Professionalism CLE: Mindful Communication for Lawyers.Joyful on Demand Free for 30 days with Code JOYFUL at checkout

True commitment is supposed to be hard and uncomfortable, but true commitment is the only way to achieve your real goals in life. Professionalism CLE: Mindful Communication for Lawyers. Joyful on Demand Free for 30 days with Code JOYFUL at checkout

It may not always be smart, it may not always be sensible, but sometimes you just have to feel the fear and do it anyway to reach your goals.You've heard me talk a lot about my group coaching program, Joyful on Demand. I invite you to join us in October. On the 20th and the 27th, we will be discussing the grounding and transformative book, You Belong, by Sebene Selawse. If you have ever felt like an outsider, a stranger in a strange land, misunderstood, alone, a wallflower, an outcast, or a black sheep, then join us fellow humans who have felt the exact same emotions, so we can explore belonging in community. As well as regular events like a book club, exclusive courses such as ‘self compassion for legal professionals', you can join me on weekly group coaching calls to really help you reach your goals. All this for just $97 a month, but absolutely free for the first month when you enter JOYFUL at check out. You don't always need to climb a mountain to change your life, sometimes it just takes a simple step forward with Joyful on Demand.

In today's episode Laura Kelley tells us how an evening with a music superstar was a reminder that the struggle for self-worth and body positivity is one of the hardest of all.