This. This speaks to me in so many ways. I highly recommend Neal's video. This guy's journey is something we should strive to emulate. In this video, he addresses hitting walls, failure, taking the long way, and learning the hard way.
So.....Are you going to take the red pill or the blue pill?
It's been a while since I've blogged. I've never been good about keeping up with blogging; if you're one of my followers, you know that.
But this election is SO IMPORTANT that I am shouting out into the oblivion: VOTE TOMORROW!! Vote like your country depends on it! And even if you aren't voting for Hillz, please just make sure you're taking part in the political process. We need to be active members of society. Do your civic duty, people.
Mantras like this are why I like the Rising Tide Society so much. Promoting community over competition is key to helping us all rise together. Check them out if you haven't, and try out a Tuesdays Together meeting near you!
I rolled into my hot yoga class as usual. I was running a little bit late, but made it fine. But something was just OFF today.
My arms were shaking. My shoulders were tired. My balance-- which I take pride in-- was wayyyy off; we're talking it was like I was doing yoga in a dinghy in the middle of a hurricane. Arms and legs were flying. I was bloated, I looked like a n00b, and I was pissed at myself.
But even though I was frustrated, I did hear that little "listen to your body" in the back of the room. That little yogi saying about "doing what you can today."Cue a deep breath. You can do this, Caroline.
I tried super hard to turn off my competitive nature. After 17 years of intense dance training and cheering in college, that's much easier said than done. I tried to accept where I was in each posture, and not judge myself. I "left it on the mat" after each posture, and moved to the next. While it didn't work completely, I didn't leave disappointed with myself.
Once I got home, I housed sushi, watermelon, wine, and a Cadbury Cream Egg.... because PERIODS, am I right ladies? And you know what? I don't feel bad about it. For the first time in a really long time, I'm good with what I did today.
Lets all just be proud of ourselves for where we are. Give yourself some love every once in a while.
If you've talked to me about philanthropy and causes, you know there is a special place in my heart for those on the autism spectrum. This video, part of a series from Andrew Solomon's new book "Far From the Tree," really touched me. The relationship between this father and his son, who faces so many chalenges, is truly inspiring.
When I think of parents of children with autism, I think of middle class, plain-Jane white folks. Obviously, I know that's not the case. Autism affects every walk of life, every race, and every economic status. Maybe I default to that mental image because that's what I am, and that is what everyone I know with an autistic child to be. The people I encountered a Kennedy Kreiger, the therapists, the doctors-- that is what they all were. I need to be better at shifting MY thought process to be more aware of the widespread affects of this condition.
Here, we see this father-- who seems as though he's a hardened, no-nonsense kind of guy-- who so clearly has dedicated everything in his power to helping his son not just survive, but live life. I am so moved (ok, I'm actually over here crying) by how intensely he love this boy. This boy who is violent, self harming, and frustrated. This child who he has had to fight for every. step. of. the. way. Because that's how it goes when you've got a special needs child; no road is easy. Every day is a fight.
This father's love, patience, and true selflessness are traits that I can only hope to imitate in my own life. Remind me the next time I'm complaining.
One of the things I think I've struggled with is the idea of being "mentally tough." While I am a strong person, I am also emotional-- and many times, that is mistaken as weakness. In a career like the law, weakness is blood in the water. Not something you want to embrace. For someone like me, who has only two speeds (1. SUPER happy or 2. crying, whether due to anger, sadness, frustration, or being too happy) I've had to learn to deal with my emotions in a professional manner. In the past I have let the intensity of the situation get the best of me. However, I've learned to control my emotions and harness them, directing them towards other things (instead of just crying-- I don't recommend that in a professional setting. Ever.).
I read this article today on Entreprenuer.com, and it outlines many of the skills I've learned over the years to increase your "toughness." While I couldn't articulate the ways I've learned to model Rocky in my emotional life, this author brilliantly puts them into words. I found myself nodding in my office-- alone, I might add-- and saying to myself, "yep, that's right!" While I'm not a perfect master of emotions, I can honestly say these techniques have really helped me deal with difficult situations without letting them take over my life. Take a read and let me know what you think.
Oh, but in case you were wondering: I will always cry at anything that has to do with old men or animals. Always and forever. And I have no shame about it.
If you haven’t been paying attention, you may have missed the struggle raging over the artist formerly known as Ke$ha, now the face of the #freeKesha movement.
A simplification of the backstage war being waged over the popstar’s music goes like this: Kesha filed a lawsuit against Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, claiming he abused the young popstar. Her 28-page complaint alleged that the older man drugged her, sexually abused her, threatened to take away her publishing rights, and verbally abused her to the point of an eating disorder. The suit, filed in a civil court rather than the subject of a criminal investigation, seeks to terminate her contract with Gottwald and his label, Kemosabe Records.
As someone who hates needles and didn’t even have her ears pierced until her senior year of college, getting a tattoo was a big deal. But River City is chock full of phenomenal tattoo artists, and is repeatedly touted as one of the most tatted-up cities in the nation. So after months of consideration, I finally decided to memorialize a childhood nickname in a tiny, minimalist patch of ink.
So I did what anyone else would do: I turned to Pinterest.
Three search terms led to a flood of designs. Pages of artistry scrolled by as I searched for the perfect image. Photographs of gorgeous tattoo art provided a rabbit hole that ate up most of my afternoon.
My lawyer brain, however, started thinking. Who owns the intellectual property rights in tattoos?
Those funny folks over at Above the Law have done a nice legal edit of the classic story, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." I can't lie: this is gold.
Creative. Genuine. Always smiling. Dog spoiler. Hot yoga lover. Beach bum with the work ethic of a Clydesdale. Tech geek and design fanatic. Country girl experimenting with the City life. Crafter. Lawyer gone rogue. I hoard notepads like most girls hoard shoes.
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