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JULY 2025
Want Better Relationships and More Success? START WITH THIS ONE SKILL
Here’s something interesting for you: World Listening Day is July 18. Let’s talk about it: not just the kind of listening where you're nodding while your brain is already forming your response, but the kind of listening where you’re actually there with the person and really hearing them. It's rarer than we’d like to admit, right? We’ve all done it: a friend vents, a client shares concerns, a coworker offers feedback — and in our heads, we’re halfway through our answer before they’re even done talking. It’s not that we don’t care. It’s just that we’re trained to respond, solve, and move things along. But sometimes, that need to jump in is exactly what stops us from truly connecting. One of the biggest lessons in business, relationships, and life is this: People want to be heard, not talked over or fixed, but heard. It’s easy to assume we know where someone’s going with a story — we make predictions and fill in the blanks. But what if we slowed it all down? When we listen to understand, we’re creating space — and that space is powerful. It’s where empathy lives and trust is built. Whether it's with a client, a juror, a friend, or a partner, that moment of “you’re really hearing me” makes all the difference.
voice starts up, you learn not to chase it. You come back and stay present.
There’s this amazing idea in Headspace, a meditation app, that your mind is like the sky: calm, wide open, and blue. But sometimes, clouds float in — emotions, thoughts, distractions like anger, judgment, or assumptions. They’re just clouds, and you don’t have to react to every single one. Just notice them and allow them to pass. Then suddenly, you're seeing and hearing clearly again. The same is true in conversations. That pause before you respond is where insight happens. That’s where deeper listening lives. TIPS FOR BETTER LISTENING (SERIOUSLY USEFUL ONES) Let’s break it down. Here are a few things that help if you want to get better at listening: • Be curious, not judgmental: Yep, straight out of “Ted Lasso,” which is still one of the best shows for life advice disguised as humor in my opinion. If you’ve seen it, you’ll remember a scene where Ted beats Rupert in darts, and Ted quotes Walt Whitman and says, “Curiosity opens doors. Judgment shuts them.” It’s gold! • Reflect back: Before jumping into your thoughts, repeat what you heard. “So, what I’m hearing is …” It shows you’re paying attention and gives them a chance to clarify. • Drop the phone: You can also flip it over or put it away. Presence is everything; nothing kills it faster than checking your notifications mid-conversation.
• Breathe before you respond: Even just one breath is enough to move you from reacting to responding with intention. • Practice silence: Let there be gaps. You don’t have to fill every quiet moment. Sometimes people need a second to find the words, and that space you offer them is a gift! Here’s the truth: Listening well isn’t just “nice.” It’s transformative. It builds stronger relationships and creates better outcomes: Clients feel more supported, teams feel more aligned, and families feel more connected. So, on July 18, for World Listening Day, let’s all try something radical: Just listen. No fixing. No interrupting. No “me too” stories — just quiet curiosity and presence.
And here’s the thing: It takes practice.
It could be the start of something amazing.
Meditation helps us become better listeners. That space you create in your mind is the same space you bring into a conversation. During meditation, you notice your thoughts without grabbing onto them. So, when someone speaks and your inner
–Case Barnett
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Your Staycation, Your Rules Easily Enjoy a Perfect Home Holiday
Sometimes, the best escape is right under your nose. Planning a staycation in your local area can save you the hassle of long travel days and large expenses but also reveals hidden gems in your own backyard. Here are six ways you can turn your town into a fun staycation! Set your intentions. Start by deciding what kind of staycation vibes you’re aiming for. Is it relaxation with spa-like peace and quiet, or are you looking for adventure and exploration? Setting your intentions will help guide your activities and tailor your staycation to your desires. Treat yourself. Part of the joy of vacationing comes from stepping out of your routine and indulging a bit. Why should a staycation be any different? Book a massage at a local spa, order takeout from that high-end restaurant you’ve always wanted to try or splurge
on a fancy "hotel-style" breakfast in bed. Remember, it’s all about treating yourself!
Visit a new place each day. Challenge yourself to visit new spots in your area. It could be a park you’ve never strolled through, a museum you’ve skipped, or an interesting shop you’ve passed but never entered. It’s fun to see how much you discover in places you can visit every day. Don’t judge yourself for not doing anything. If your most adventurous activity for a day is moving from your bed to your couch or hammock, that’s perfectly fine. Not every staycation day needs to be filled with activities. After all, the best memories can come from hanging out and enjoying the peace of your own space. Be a tourist for the day. Grab a camera and see your city through the eyes of a tourist. You might discover typical
tourist activities you’ve never done because you live there. It’s a fun way to engage with your surroundings differently. Remember, it’s your staycation. The best part of a staycation is that there are no rules. Sleep in, stay up late, eat dessert for breakfast, or wear pajamas all day. Do what makes you happy because, after all, isn’t that what any great vacation is about?
WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
"Case Barnett Law Firm is an outstanding law firm! They handled a case that involved the passing of my mom and they were amazing! I dealt with Case and Jazmine and both of them always had tons of patience and professionalism at all times. My grandmother, sister, and me are never easy to deal with and they handled everything better than I ever thought it would be handled. Thank you to the entire law firm for the help they gave us and for representing my mom and our family!" –Brandon Dompe
This publication is intended to educate the general public about personal injury and elder abuse. It is not intended to be legal advice. Every case is different.
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GARLIC PARMESAN SHRIMP Inspired by CooktopCove.com
For a long time, I thought self-care meant bubble baths or spa days — you know, the cliché stuff. But lately, for me, it’s meant something a lot simpler and way more powerful: saying no. I grew up thinking you always had to be doing something to be valuable. Resting and being still were considered lazy. So, I filled my days and brain with constant motion. But what I didn’t realize was how much stress that created. This stress made it hard to enjoy anything, even the things I was good at. It clouded everything, and I felt like there was no space left to just be . Once I started learning to say no to plans, overcommitting, and the pressure to be “on” all the time, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time: peace. Saying no gave me breathing room and the space to choose how I wanted to spend my time. It gave me permission to do nothing, and that’s where the magic was. There’s a Japanese concept called “boketto,” a philosophy centered on “staring off into the distance without thinking.” You’re supposed to be still without planning, scrolling, or checking off mental tasks. There’s something beautiful about that kind of presence. Turns Out, ‘Doing Nothing’ Might Be the Most Productive Thing You Can Do
• 3 tbsp olive oil • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 tsp Italian seasoning • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • Juice of 1 lemon Ingredients
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In a bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. 3. Add shrimp to the bowl and toss until fully coated. 4. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet. 5. Roast in the oven for 7–9 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and slightly golden. 6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice before serving.
LAUGH LAWS
For so many of us, especially in a go-go-go culture like the U.S., we run from quiet. But the quiet is where clarity lives and where we start hearing ourselves again.
So, this July, during Self-Care Month, try something different. Don’t add more to your to-do list; take something off it. Say no when you need to, sit in silence for five minutes, or stare out a window. Let your thoughts float by like clouds.
Self-care doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Sometimes, it’s just you, your thoughts, and a little bit of nothing — and that’s more than enough.
–Case Barnett
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page 1 From Nodding Along to Truly Hearing
Page 2 Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home
What Our Clients Are Saying
Page 3 The Quiet Is Calling — Will You Listen?
Garlic Parmesan Shrimp
Page 4 The Future of UK Forestry
20 Million Trees Transform Tomorrow The Path to a Better Planet
The seeds for the future of our environment have been planted in the United Kingdom.
probability of significant economic benefits for the area’s agricultural industry. Shaping a Sustainable Future The Forest of Avon, a UK-based charitable organization devoted to expanding and sustaining trees and woodlands, will oversee the project’s implementation. “[T]he Western Forest will enhance, connect, and improve our urban and rural landscapes, support investment into the region, create jobs and skills opportunities, and bring the endless benefits we get back from planting and caring for our trees,” noted Forest of Avon Chief Executive Alex Stone. “It is a very exciting time for this region, and we look forward to helping shape what the Western Forest will become.” Positivity Across the Pond In addition to its clear environmental benefits, forestry plays a signature role in
Earlier this year, the UK government announced the creation of the Western Forest, an initiative to plant 20 million trees over 600 acres by 2050. Spanning Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and the West England countryside and bolstered by nearly $10 million in government funding, the project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen biodiversity, help prevent the decline of rare species, prevent flooding, and bring millions of residents closer to nature. In addition to being the first new forest of its kind in the UK in 30 years, the Western Forest project is an ambitious step forward in the government’s goal of increasing tree and woodland cover by more than 15% within the next quarter- century. Perhaps most significantly, nearly 75% of the planned Western Forest will consist of farmland, introducing a strong
the American economy. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, forestry activities generate more than $13 billion annually. Additionally, research suggests that strolling through the trees or engaging in other natural settings improves people’s focus and lowers their stress levels. Whether here or abroad, your body and spirit would do well to get out in nature and visit a forest now and then — and by 2050, you’ll have 20 million more reasons to do so.
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