Claire E. Parsons is a practicing lawyer in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, and the mom of two girls. She was blessed with an incredibly energetic and verbal mind that helped her get good grades and perform well as a lawyer. For most of her life, it also filled her with anxiety, spiked into bouts of depression, and fed her imposter syndrome and perfectionism.
When Claire became a mom, she realized she wanted to pass on her love of words and stories to her kids, but not her self-absorption, overwhelm, and despair. She started meditating to manage stress and curb overthinking, but the practice changed her life. Over time, she got training and began teaching other lawyers and professionals about mindfulness. She founded the blog, Brilliant Legal Mind, and has written two books, How to Be a Badass Lawyer, and Mommy Needs a Minute. Claire tries not to be boring and sometimes stumbles into humor but she confesses that the best social media platform to find her is LinkedIn.
How Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party Helped My Mental Health
The best thing I have done for my mental health in the last month was listen to the new album by Hayley Williams. If you struggle just getting through the day, this album provides a soundtrack for the struggle.
Lesson from a Seven-Day Retreat: Don’t Try So Hard to Be Good
Sometimes we try so hard to be good. In this post, explore how easy it is to get confused and how you can find clarity again.
Down to Earth Dharma by Rebecca Bradshaw {Book Review}
A review of Down to Earth Dharma by Rebecca Bradshaw, a book which offers traditional Buddhist teachings in a refreshing, warm, and accessible way.
Do Not Try to Become a Buddha by Myozan Ian Kilroy {Book Review}
In Do Not Try, Rev. Myozan shows us how much more to Buddhism there is beyond the individual state of enlightenment. He shows us how we can take the teachings, the practices and even the rituals and live them in our own community.
Don’t Turn the TV Off at Halftime: Kendrick Lamar May Teach a Lesson about Anger
The rap battle between Kendrick and Drake shows the power of anger. In anticipation of Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance, this post explores how Lamar processed the anger on his latest album, GNX.
Big Trick Energy: The Onion’s Unexpected but Essential Dharma Lesson
But if the idea that any of us could bring peace or goodness to the fractured world seems laughable, The Onion shows us that might be okay.
The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD by Lidia Zylowska, MD {Book Review}
While of course the perspective of science in the Mindfulness Prescription is beneficial, I was also glad that the book wasn’t just science. Each chapter and each practice was embedded in a story from life to exemplify its significance and utility.
Don’t Take the Clickbait:Joy Is a Strategy
In Buddhism, Joy Is a Strategy
Are You a Buddhist Just Because You Practice Meditation?
The harder question to answer is whether meditation or potentially “becoming a Buddhist” may change your self-image. My experience is that, of course, it can.
Confidence: Holding Your Seat Through Life’s Eight Worldly Winds by Ethan Nichtern {Book Review}
Nichtern can teach about these subjects in ways that some of the elder leaders of the mindfulness community can’t because he’s lived them and is still living them.