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The Equity Stop Did You Know? By Jessica L. Chapman, Esq., Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee In June we hosted an outdoor physical wellness event as a collaboration with the Criminal Defense and the Solo/Small Firm Committees. I thought I would take the opportunity to discuss some of the benefits of physical wellness. There is a misconception that people work out solely because they want to lose weight. The reality is that there is a long list of reasons why people work out regularly and an even longer list of benefits. The benefits can be divided between short- and longterm. Some of the short-term benefits can include improving your mood, boosting your energy, reducing depression, controlling stress and anxiety levels, and sleeping better. Some of the long-term benefits include weight loss, reducing your risk of health conditions, and strengthening your muscles and bones. In addition to these short- and long-term benefits, it can be a fun event in your day, breaking up the long and intense days that are inherent in the practice of law. I do a bootcamp workout 5 to 6 days a week at 4:45 a.m. Do I enjoy waking up so early? Absolutely not! But I enjoy starting my day taking some time for myself and it’s fun to have my friends there with me. It gives me a boost of energy and puts me in a good mood to tackle my day. We chose a career that is one of the most stressful jobs out there. We face issues that can cause us depression and anxiety and if left uncontrolled, can take over what we have worked so hard to achieve. Taking care of ourselves is no longer an option but a necessity. Did you know that in 2021, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers reported that the primary presenting concerns of callers were stress, alcohol misuse, depression, and anxiety? Complaints of anxiety were at a record high in 2021. These issues have always been present in the practice of law but have exponentially increased during the ongoing pandemic. Don’t wait to work on yourself because these issues will, more likely than not, only get worse with the passage of time. Make time for you.
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