Ten Years Later: What I've Come to Understand About Helping People Do Their Best Work
This month marks a meaningful milestone for me. Ten years ago, I launched Courtney Schulnick Mindfulness. At the time, I was still practicing as a litigator with a full caseload. Mindfulness wasn't a business idea. It was something I turned to because I was looking for a better way to navigate the demands of a high-pressure profession, while also showing up as the wife, mother, colleague, and friend I wanted to be.
Looking back, I realize something I couldn't have articulated back then. The work was never really about mindfulness. It was always about helping myself, as well as others, notice how they were showing up in their lives and sharing tools that help people live with more intentionality. Over the past decade, my understanding of that has continued to evolve. Today, whether I'm working with attorneys, executives, leadership teams, healthcare professionals, or organizations, I'm increasingly convinced of one thing:
How we show up often matters just as much as what we know.
Our expertise matters. Our technical skills matter. But so do our presence, our ability to listen, our communication, our emotional awareness, and our capacity to step out of reactivity and respond with more consciousness and wise discernment. Those qualities influence how we lead, how we navigate conflict, how we build trust, and ultimately, how effectively we work together. And perhaps most importantly, they help create the conditions for people to do their best work. That theme has shown up repeatedly in my work over the past few weeks.
LINKEDIN LIVE WEBINAR
Last week, I joined Niraj Chhabra, CFP®, BFA™, MBA, CRPC®, CLTC® of SideBar Advisors for a LinkedIn Live conversation focused on practical, "on-the-spot" mindfulness practices that busy professionals can use throughout the workday. We explored simple ways to pause, relax, and respond more intentionally - even in the middle of demanding schedules. You can catch the replay here.
PHILADELPHIA'S WORKPLACE PROTECTIONS WEBINAR SERIES
This week, I also had the privilege of attending Part 1 of Councilmember Nina Ahmad's groundbreaking two-part webinar series alongside my friend and colleague, Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW. The series focuses on Philadelphia's landmark workplace protections related to menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause, which will take effect on January 1, 2027.
As I sat there listening to the conversation, I couldn't help but reflect on how unexpected this journey has been. Ten years ago, I never would have imagined that the mindfulness practice I turned to personally would one day lead me to help organizations navigate workplace culture, leadership, and historic policy changes. Yet in many ways, this work has always been about the same thing: helping people create the conditions where they can do their best work.
It was inspiring to witness the momentum surrounding this historic legislation. Philadelphia is the first city in the country to enact workplace protections addressing menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause together - a meaningful step toward creating workplaces where employees can perform at their best, while receiving the support they need during significant life transitions.
I'm especially excited that next week, Shonda and I have been invited to serve as panelists for Part 2 of the series. We'll join an outstanding group of leaders to discuss what implementation looks like in practice and how organizations can prepare for these new workplace protections in thoughtful, practical, and sustainable ways.
VIRTUAL EMPLOYER READINESS WORKSHOP
For organizations that would like to get ahead of the curve and begin preparing now, Shonda and I will also be facilitating our Employer Readiness Workshop on Wednesday, August 12, from 12:00-1:30 p.m. ET via Zoom. During this interactive session, we'll explore not only what the law requires, but how organizations can move beyond compliance to create workplace cultures where people feel supported, valued, and able to do their best work.
If you'd like to learn more before registering, we invite you to schedule a complimentary 20-minute conversation with us to discuss your organization's goals, challenges, and whether our Employer Readiness Workshop, or a customized educational program, would be the best fit for your team. You can also connect with us directly at mmworkplace2027@gmail.com.
THE REVOLVER
I also had the privilege of contributing an article to the Summer 2026 edition of The Resolver, a biannual publication of the FBA's ADR Section, where I explored how awareness can shape mediation outcomes. Although the article focuses on attorneys and mediation, it's really about something much broader. Whether we're leading a team, navigating workplace change, supporting employees, or helping people resolve conflict, our ability to listen, remain present, and respond thoughtfully often determines what's possible. The skills that create more effective mediators are the same skills that create stronger leaders and healthier organizations. You can obtain a copy of the article in the Featured Section of my LinkedIn Profile here.
MY LATEST PODCAST EPISODE ON LEADERSHIP & COMMUNICATION
Before I close, I also wanted to mention that my latest podcast episode with Rudhir Krishtel is now available. Rudhir and I had a thoughtful conversation about leadership, communication, and the importance of how we show up in moments that matter. If those topics resonate with you, I hope you'll give it a listen. You can listen to it now on Spotify, or watch it on YouTube.
THANK YOU :-)
Looking back over the past ten years, I can see that the thread connecting everything I've done - from teaching mindfulness to speaking, writing, facilitating workshops, and now helping organizations prepare for meaningful workplace change - has always been the same.
Helping people and organizations create the conditions for people to do their best work.
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. I'm excited for what's ahead!