Happy 2019!!!
We are so excited for this beautiful New Year!
Our focus this month is on warmth, welcoming, and nourishment. As our inboxes get flooded with ‘resolutions’ and ‘detoxes’, we want to remind you that everything you need, everything that you will ever need, and all the beauty, grace and freedom is already within you. While cleansing, reflecting, and paring down are all fantastic ways to refocus and re-energize for the year ahead, we also encourage you to remain gentle with yourself, to take good care of you, the ones around you and the people you encounter on your path.
Welcoming means making space for what is. It means allowing life to move a little more freely, surrendering the urge to control and manipulate it according to what we think we want or need. For us, this means releasing the reins a little, honoring the imperfections, surprises and disappointments just as we do the "good" stuff by embracing what is, not what we think there should be.
Rumi said it best:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
— Jellaludin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks
So this year, when it comes to resolutions, we have decided to take it month by month, so that we can be more open to revision and refinement. Some of our intentions for January: more cooking at home—the colors!!!---(and taking the leftovers to work), less wine, more slow time with family, less checking devices, some new learning and less complaining.
When we welcome what is, we fill our lives with warmth and hygge. The two are intertwined. It’s a luxury and a privilege to be who we are, where we are, at this time on the planet. When we are warm, we can tap into gratefulness. This helps us make space for the other. When we are grateful, we can be of service. When we are of service, we can find true happiness, value and contentment. Simple ways to increase warmth in the world: bundle yourself, bundle the ones you love, expose yourself to new ideas, learn about different people, educate yourself, fill up a hot water bottle, light a candle, and then get down into that gorgeous heart of yours and start raising the vibration for everyone around you.
We believe in a hopeful, more cooperative, engaged but self-reliant 2019. We believe big things come with small acts and that this is going to be a big year for all of us and all of you. Welcome, welcome 2019!!!
EVENTS
A couple of our upcoming events to keep in mind:
In February, we launch our monthly Zoom Call!!!! Having connections and community has been proven to increase performance, self worth, even longevity. We are at a unique time on the planet where we are able to connect with any community we want to using technology—a theme we will explore this year. We will cover topics from marketing to motivation to trial skills to Q&A. This is not a seminar or a lecture. It's a connected network of women, supporting one another with our collective wisdom. The calls and other content we are rolling out are for listserve members only. If you aren’t already a part of our listserve, you can join at trialbywoman.com. Remember, our listserve welcomes all genders, religions, colors, shapes, sizes and dance styles.
In March, we are keynote-ing the Embrace Your Inner Badass seminar in Newport, California. It’s put on by the Nevada Justice Association, with some incredible women, including Dorothy Sims (the goddess of neuropsychology and handling experts); Randy McGinn (the goddess of just about everything that has to do with law, sports, and being gorgeous and running your all woman law firm in New Mexico); Sari De la Motte (the goddess of juries and really, really good conversation)… the list goes on. There will be yoga, cocktail parties, plenty of great people to meet and new connections to make, and it’s at the Ritz because, well, WE FANCY.
In April, we are speaking at the Brain Injury Association of California's TBI Med Legal Conference in San Diego. Join us at this two-day conference featuring over 50 speakers, 30 brain injury-related topics, yoga in the morning sponsored by Trial By Woman and don't forget to look for the Trial By Woman table with copies of our book and some free TBW swag! This conference is the place to be to learn how to handle a brain injury case from start to finish and to get up to speed on the latest brain injury medicine.
Lastly, we are going to be launching some new webinars over the next few months. Some topics we are considering: tips for running your solo practice and how to manage and pay employees; tips for people who employ women; how to increase the value of the cases you have and get more cases while doing it. Have any ideas? Requests? Songs for the DJ? Drop us a line!!!
Actually, we are hoping you’ll drop us a line anyway! How is it going? You like these silly hyperlinks? Have you read the book? Like something? Hate something? Want something new or different on the Forum? How about in the bedroom? How’s your life? Your heart? Your income? Your plie? Send us an e-mail, a smoke signal, a photo, and follow us on Instagram. We're here for you.
THE CO-OP
Don’t forget to head over The Co-Op to check out some new, cool goodies, including our hand-made, gorgeous and potent moon malas and plenty of TBW swag! Remember, all proceeds from The Co-Op go to charity. This month, we are donating all proceeds to the Innocence Project. (Who, by the way, is currently hiring.) This month, we'll also be adding some new links to the shopping section of our website. We'll give you direct links to products we love and use in court, in the office and in real life, including products and supplies we refer to in our book and our talks.
We are also adding a special section to our site where you can buy some things off OTHER PEOPLE’S WISHLISTS!!! First up, we will be featuring the wishlist of the teachers of Paramount High School in Paramount, CA. This is a Los Angeles city school near Compton where the vast majority of students are minorities and come from low-income families. Many of this kids live within miles of the ocean but have never seen it, but they are learning to crush it in Biology and Earth Science thanks to the hard work of dedicated teachers. When the intercom comes on, the teachers notice that the kids flinch almost every time for fear of it being a school shooter. Every year, Courtney’s sister, a science teacher there, buys her own class school supplies, one of which includes a diffuser for essential oils: “It’s something that lets the kids know that they are cared for. It’s soothing. Nurturing, without having to say anything. It makes their day a little better and that makes me happy.” Right on, sister.
For those times when you feel you just gotta buy something, consider buying it for someone else! Try it out and see how it feels. You'll be able to find the wishlist on our website soon under the Shop tab. Look for "DO GOOD." We'll send out a note when everything is linked up and ready to go.
Meanwhile, have a fantastic January—we wish you plenty of warmth, and look forward to new connections with all of you!
Sending so much love to you and yours,
Courtney and Theresa
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