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Hi there! It’s Heather Stevenson.
Happy Wednesday and thanks for being here! Here’s what’s covered in today’s issue:
Why summers slip away from busy lawyers, and six things I'm doing to protect mine;
Links you'll love;
And More.
Let’s dive in.
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Deep Dive
Summertime is the best time.
Summer has always been my favorite season. I love feeling the warm sun on my face almost as much as I hate being cold - and living in New England, summer pretty much guarantees sunny days and warmth, while winter guarantees frigid temperatures and lots of ice.
The ocean is my happy place, and when it first comes into view on a summer weekend, I feel my shoulders physically drop just a little, releasing a tension so constant I forget it's there until it’s gone. I may be far too old for summer camp, but I still love fireworks on the Fourth of July and making s’mores just as much as I did back at camp in Maine.
Yet, summers have passed me by before. After a busy summer of negotiating contracts or drafting briefs, managing disputes or building businesses, it’s not that surprising. I've woken up on a cool September morning to realize the ocean was chilling again, school was back in session — and I'd barely gotten in the water, hadn't roasted a perfect marshmallow, and had failed to appreciate how glorious a summer sunset can be.
This summer, I’m as busy as I’ve ever been. And I know that if I’m not deliberate, I’ll blink and it will be September.
I bet you can relate.
Having a wonderful summer matters for the sake of it. Because happiness and joy are inherently wonderful. But is also matters because joy and professional success are directly connected. Joy, personally and professionally, drives professional success. If you didn’t read my previous issue about the Joy Dividend, it’s worth a few minutes now.
This newsletter issue is about what I plan to do to make sure I make the most of this summer, even though work is crazy busy. It’s based on years of experimenting as well as a lot of reading on joy and fulfillment.
Here are my approaches. Try them out and let me know what you think. Or let me know anything you’re trying that’s not on here - I’d love to hear more ideas.
