Old Dog, New Tricks

First, a short entry. I finally signed up for Twitter. It's all the rage, I hear. You can follow me at http://twitter.com/shaunjamison.

I have been doing public speaking for years and gave a speech today and still managed to pull something new out of it. I am working through the beginning Toastmasters manual having completed it two times before. I picked out the project I wanted to do and noticed that it required rhetorical devises such as similes, metaphors, and triads. I use these devices naturally, as do many speakers. But the manual challenged me to be purposeful about it, so I was.

I came up with the concept of a journal being like a "second brain." It had not occurred to me to put it that way before, but as a result of answering the challenge from the Toastmasters manual, I now have a useful metaphor to better explain journaling.

Dr. Shaun Jamison is a business and life coach, speaker, and law professor.
www.guideonyourside.com

Emergency MS Explorer Update

If you have automatic updates for Microsoft Explorer, this will take care of itself. If not, be sure to update Explorer today. I am using Firefox as I post this notice, however. Firefox is widely considered to be a safer way to browse the Internet.

Dr. Shaun Jamison

Peace During the Season of Peace

There are kinds of opportunities for pressure this time of year. Not only is the economy lagging, layoffs often pick up before the holidays so employers do not have to face laying someone off right at Christmas. Families with child visitation disputes might file for emergency hearings. For the lawyers in my audience, some of this conflict may spill over into your life representing others even if you aren't in the situations. It's sometimes called vicarious trauma.

Some suggestions for having a more peaceful season:

1. Take a break - even five minutes to clear your head. There's a Buddhist saying "Don't just do something - sit there!" It helps greatly. Take some deep breaths.

2. If you are still shopping, buy simple gifts. Don't get anymore complicated than you need to. Simplify, simplify, simplify.

3. Remember to not buy into the stress and anxiety around you. People need your empathy, understanding, commitment, advocacy, but not sympathy. The weight of the world is not on your shoulders. You are a human being and you will do your very best, of course, but the rest is beyond your control.

4. Seek help if you need it. If a task is beyond your skills, seek a mentor. If you want help defining and meeting your goals, seek a coach. If you are depressed and anxious, seek medical attention.

The Holidays are often tough emotionally, but you can take the edge off by being purposeful about your self care. You serve better professionally and personally when you take care of yourself.

Dr. Shaun Jamison is a business and life coach who was in a sole law practice for several years.
www.guideonyourside.com

Do You Have an Innovative Way of Deliverying Legal Services?

The Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access honors those programs and projects dedicated to matching the unmet legal needs of the middle class with lawyers who provide affordable legal information, services and representation. Established by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services in 1994, the Brown Award recognizes innovative contributions to the delivery of legal services to those of moderate income.

Award recipients are those programs and projects that have made substantial or creative contributions to the delivery of legal services. Brown Award recipients include:

• The Legal Resolutions Center of the Legal Aid Society of Orange County, California
• The California Commission on Access to Justice
• Self-Represented Litigant Task Force of the State of Maine
• The AARP Legal Hotlines Project

http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/delivery/brownnomination.html

Life and the Law: Handling the Stress of an Employment Law Practice

Life and the Law: Handling the Stress of an Employment Law Practice
Presented by Robert Zeglovitch and Justin Cummins; moderated by Joan Bibelhausen

Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. CST
1.0 CLE credit
Tuition: $55

Part of Minnesota CLE's ongoing "Life and the Law" webcast series, streaming one Wednesday a month. Co-sponsored by the Life and the Law Committee of the MSBA.

Practicing law is stressful and employment law is no exception. Joan Bibelhausen will discuss with Bob Zeglovitch and Justin Cummins the common stress faced by employment lawyers and give practical advice about how to manage it.

Presented by Robert Zeglovitch, Law Offices of Robert Zeglovitch, Minneapolis, and Justin D. Cummins, Miller-O'Brien-Cummins PLLP, Minneapolis; moderated by Joan M. Bibelhausen, Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, St. Paul.


Register Now for Handling the Stress of an Employment Law Practice