In my last newsletter I asked if your shoulders were up near your ears. A ton of people replied and said yes. They ALSO didn’t even realize it until they read that line. The cause of that isn’t stress or anxiety. It’s the loop.

Are your shoulders up near your ears right now? Is your jaw tight? Your stomach a little clenched, waiting for the next thing to land? Probably. Most of us walk around like that all day. Braced. Tensed. Steeling ourselves for whatever comes next. But…

There’s always a lot going on, but … doesn’t it seem like there’s even MORE going on right now? We all feel it. But you don’t have to get swept away by it. Watch this 13-minute video. It’s an entertaining TED Talk from Dan Harris, a news anchor who famously had a panic attack on live television.

After a recent talk I gave, multiple people told me they felt a sense of “longing.” A subtle wish for something they couldn’t quite explain. Not a different life, but a feeling that something was “wrong” with them. But there’s nothing wrong with them and nothing wrong with you if you feel the same.

Remember when your parents told you, “Just wait till you have your own kids?” Or, “Never leave one job till you've got another?” Or maybe you were told you have to be a doctor or lawyer or some other specific profession to be “worthwhile.” Guess what? None of that sh*t’s true.

Imposter syndrome: the feeling you're a fraud, that you're going to be found out as the not-so-smart, not-so-talented, not-so-capable person you fear you truly are. I know it well.

It’s said we all want to fit in and belong. Right now, all I want is to feel warm and have some sunshine! (As the sun finally peeks through, yay, nice touch!). So as I’m obsessing about warmer climates, I’m reminded to stay in the moment.

OMG, they think I’m a lawyer!

I’ve walked around with that thought more times than I can count.

Whether finishing a trial or arguing for equality in the workplace to legislatures—none of that matters. I can still feel like a fake, a fraud, someone who’s gonna get “found out” any minute.

I remember when I didn’t get an offer from my summer law clerk position. To me it confirmed my fears that I’d been found out, my getting into law school was a fluke, I’m dumb and not worthy of even being at a law firm, maybe on this planet.

Community’s essential. It’s been proven again and again that we need community. In the blue zones, where people live the longest, community comes up as the number one reason for longevity and happiness.

But how do we know if we’re with the right people?

With coronavirus and an unsettling political climate, not knowing how long things will be like this is nerve wracking. The big question right now is how do we get through the next few days, weeks, or whatever it’s going to be.

I’m having such a hard time staying positive lately, and I’m pretty sure I am not alone. I seem to spin into such negativity which isn’t like me at all. Or it isn’t like the old me!

I seem to work more hours than I have for years, feel exhausted and blame everyone (in my mind at least.)

Between missing hugs, family, friends, travel and well, normality, this time during Covid-19 can get you down. A study came out last week that 25% of the American population is depressed. That’s 3x the numbers reported before the pandemic. Everyone’s going through it!

Here are some easy mood-lifters that are guaranteed to get you quickly out of a funk.

I just did it again and it sucks. It doesn’t get easier, even though I think it will. Every time I say goodbye to my daughter, I’m sure it’ll be easier. Nope.

OMG, they think I’m a lawyer! I’ve walked around with that thought more times than I can count. Whether finishing a trial or arguing for equality in the workplace to legislatures — none of that matters.

I’m not a diver. I don’t dive into water. Not into the ocean or a pool. Definitely not off a cliff. But I’m about to do a whole different dive and it’s just as scary. It’s a dive into exposing myself to people I’d rather not.