My intention is to post a Thoughtful Thursday column each week and share some of the insights I have learned in the past week. Here are some of the things I’ve learned this week:

Mary’s Cup of Tea – 5 Mantras to Get You Through Tough Times

• Be here now.
• This too shall pass.
• Everything happens for me, not to me.
• Emotions need motion. We can’t sit with our feelings for too long. You need to do positive and productive things to get the feelings out.
•  Lead with love.

Life Kit – How to slow down when you eat

• Signs you are eating too fast: hiccups, heartburn, feeling hungry right after eating
• Mindful eating asks us to slow down and notice our food.
• Most nutritionists urge us to take 20 minutes to eat a meal. It takes that long for your body to get the signal to the brain that you are full. If you eat fast, your brain is not getting that signal that you are full, causing you to eat too much.

• Tips:
  • Allocate time to eat and only eat. Don’t use your phone while eating.
  • Engage your senses. Be with the food and notice the colors, scents, taste, texture, etc.
  • Pre-portion food. Take smaller portions to the table. Ex: put chips in a bowl ahead of time to keep you from overeating.
  • Chewing is important. Chew several times to ease digestion.
  • If you have limited time for meals, save some food to eat as a snack later.

5 contemplations of mindful eating

Before Breakfast – Make space for friendship

• Studies show that people think they’d be happier with more friends, but what actually makes us happier is being considered someone’s best friend.
• A better strategy is to be a dynamite teammate to 3-5 people.
• Friendships start out with shared activities.
• Choice theory says that we all have five inherent genetic needs: survival, power, love and belonging, freedom (self-expression), and fun. Friendships should have these elements.

• The biggest mistake is that people don’t think about how their invitation lands in someone else’s inbox. Give specific times and locations.
• Ask friends questions like “How can I help you? What are your pain points? Tell me what’s going on. How’s your job? How has your social life been?” Be an excellent teammate and be careful not to dominate conversations.

• Make silence meaningful. Try to make a plan with someone very busy and say something like “If I don’t hear from you by ___, I’ll assume you can’t go.” By saying how you will interpret the silence, you are taking power and giving a kindness to the other person of “I understand you may not get back to me. Here’s how I will interpret a non-answer.”
• Pick your elite tiers of people and commit to prioritizing them, being in contact with them, and seeing them regularly. Other connections are a bonus, but it’s not as overwhelming when you prioritize the top tier friends.

Law School Toolbox Podcast – Quick Tips – LinkedIn Best Practices for Law Students

Although I’m not in law school, I finally caved and signed up for LinkedIn after months of my professors and paralegal program classmates emphasizing its importance. I still have a lot to learn, but this podcast was helpful!

• LinkedIn is the go-to professional networking platform
• Your profile is often the first impression you make on potential employers for connection.
• Use an up-to-date professional photo. Pay attention to your background.

• Headline – title should be specific, not generic.
• If an employer searches for terms you used in your title, your profile will likely appear closer to the top in their search results.
• About section – summarize who you are, what your goals are, and how you achieved them. Who you are now, who you were before (what did you do/where did you work), who you aspire to be (what type of law, etc.) Try to add your personality into the mix.
• Experience section – list all relevant experiences. Instead of using bullet points, write a full paragraph telling the story of your accomplishments, activities, and roles in each position. Be specific about your duties and outcomes.
• Education – all higher education. Include activities and extracurriculars. Be specific about your roles. Include awards you received.
• Licenses and certifications – NSLT, Lexis Nexis legal research certification course, etc.
• Publications

• Start by connecting with people you know – classmates, family members, friends, old coworkers, and professors
• Use LinkedIn to connect with alumni from your school who work in the area of law you are interested in. Reach out to attorneys who work in areas you are interested in.
• Like and comment on posts from your connections. Share your own updates, too.
• Always maintain professionalism in every aspect of your profile. Proofread everything. Keep your profile updated and current. Quality over quantity for connections.

I enjoyed this post from Gabe the Bass Player this week:

https://www.gabethebassplayer.com/blog/what-time-do-you-open

“What Time Do You Open?

November 14, 2024

You get to pick. But whatever time you post on the door we expect you to be fully open. Not a limited menu. Not partially attentive. Not just half the vibe.

Whatever it’s like when we walk in, we assume that’s the way it always is…so for whatever way you want to known, it starts from the time you open.”

I look forward to reading, learning, and sharing more with you soon!