Lessons Learned on the Path to Wellness

Meet the New Lawyer Well-Being Committee Chair

BY RACHEL McKENNA

Hello everyone. I am this year’s committee chair for the Austin Bar’s Lawyer Well-Being Committee. I will be honest: The thought of writing this column (my first ever) stressed me out! The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized my own path to wellness highlights exactly why this committee’s work is so important.

First, a little about me. I am a sixth-year attorney at Almanza, Blackburn, Dickie & Mitchell, LLP. I work a heavy civil litigation docket with an emphasis in real estate, property law, and probate. I absolutely love my job, the people with whom I work, and the cases. But this job, as many of you know, is not one for the faint of heart. The very nature of litigation is stressful, and while I both enjoy and feed off the energy of working a case, I often feel like I’m hurtling on a runaway train towards a steep cliff’s edge.

I am also a wife and mother of two young children under five. We have two older dogs and, because I must have lost my mind this summer, a five-month-old puppy. My personal life is BUSY. The constant balance between work and home is overwhelming and I often feel I’m failing at one or both.

Since becoming a lawyer, I’ve dealt with crippling anxiety, imposter syndrome, and postpartum depression (twice). Because of this, though, I’ve also learned the following important lessons on how to maintain control and ease myself back into a physically and mentally healthy state.

BE KIND TO YOURSELF

We are our own worst critics. My friends and I call it the “evil hamster that lives in my brain.” The hamster runs on his wheel and tells me all the ways I am not good enough. When I start to reach my limits or feel my anxiety levels rise, I try to remember to silence that good-for-nothing hamster and remind myself that I am all the things the hamster is telling me I am not. And even though I am not perfect, I try hard, I have people who love me, and I am worthy of my own love as well.

FIND YOUR CHEERLEADERS

Having a good support network, whether professionally, personally, or both, is key to improved mental health. Whether it’s a romantic partner you can lean on or office friends who take you to coffee when you’re having an off day, relying on others for support gives you the strength to look at things in the positive.

THERAPY IS A GOOD THING

I fought going to therapy for years. When I finally decided to give it a try, I didn’t connect well with my first therapist. I took a break, and when things got rough again, I tried again with a new therapist who taught me skills on how to be in the moment and look at my feelings from other angles.

EXERCISE WHEN YOU CAN (BUT DON’T FOCUS ON IT SO HARD THAT IT GIVES YOU MORE STRESS!)

Everyone loves to say, “just make more time for you and your physical health,” as if I can just make more time in the day to get in a workout. When I realized that forcing myself to find time to get in specific exercise was hurting more than helping, I learned to find joy in just getting outside and being active with my family by hiking, swimming, or even just throwing a frisbee in the backyard. The movement makes me feel better, as do the interactions with my loved ones.

LIFE IS SHORT AND BEAUTIFUL

This life is precious, and we only get one shot at it. Find the things that bring you joy and leave the things that don’t. I’ve noticed that a lot of lawyers (myself included) are terrible at saying no and often get over-involved and over-extended. Remember, you don’t have to do ALL the things at once. If it isn’t helping you emotionally, personally, or professionally, then don’t do it! Focus on what you enjoy and remember it’s OK to step away from things you don’t. AL

Rachel McKenna is an attorney at Almanza, Blackburn, Dickie & Mitchell, LLP, specializing in civil litigation.