Attorney Wellness

Our community is one that is well-known for being driven and competitive.  We work long hours and strive to do the best we can for our clients, our constituents and those that present their problems to the Courts. We do it because we want to win, because we are determined to help those in need, because it’s what we signed up for when we took on this career. Our dedication to the craft is laudable and it is important to creating and maintaining a government and a justice system that can be counted on by the people who need it. However, if we become single-minded in that focus, if we fail to take time out for our own health and well-being, the consequences to our lives can be devastating. In the end, if we are not as dedicated to ourselves as we are to those we serve, we will end up unable to help either.

So, with that in mind I want to help not only normalize but celebrate the pursuit of wellness alongside the pursuit of a successful career. I hope that as a group we can begin to see the time we take for ourselves as not only necessary or useful, but laudable. We all work hard and that is worthy of being recognized, but perhaps we should equally glorify rest and self-care because without those things, we are not capable of giving our best to the work.

Of course, health and wellness look like different things for different people, and to that end, I want to provide as much of a variety of opportunities as I can. A walk in the woods, a tour of a local small farm, Yoga, dance or just a simple run along the river. Any of these activities or a whole host of others could provide the opportunity for a much-needed break from the ordinary.  Particularly, I’d like to provide people with the opportunity to try something they’ve never done before. It can be intimidating to enter a class with people who have been there for months or even years and be the “newbie.” But, if we can provide the opportunity to try something new with people who also have no idea what they’re doing, the pressure is much less and we just might find our new favorite activity.    

I also want to focus not just on physical activities, but also pursuits that can assist us in maintaining our mental health. These last two years have taken a significant toll on a lot of us, more so than we may even realize. The ability to take some time to really engage with our mental health, or even just shut off our lawyer brains and try something different for an hour or two could be the key to maintaining our mental well-being.

If there are activities that you think are great or that you have always wanted to try please reach out to me. I’m happy to have suggestions for new activities that the Bar Association can sponsor. In the interim I will continue to search for wellness opportunities to serve our members."