Ed. note: This post is by Jeena Cho, a Legal Mindfulness Strategist. She is the co-author of The Anxious Lawyer (affiliate link), a book written by lawyers for lawyers that makes mindfulness and meditation accessible and approachable. She is the creator of Mindful Pause, a self-paced online program for creating a more sustainable, peaceful, and productive law practice in just six minutes a day. Jeena offers actionable change strategies for reducing stress and anxiety while increasing productivity, joy, and satisfaction through mindfulness.
There’s a nagging voice inside that keeps saying, “I am really unhappy. Maybe I should do it.” But you feel stuck. You think about quitting to do something different, but immediately, your brain comes up with 101 reasons why that is a terrible idea. Besides, all I know how to do is law. That’s all that I have been doing.
Then there’s the practical consideration. How will I pay my mortgage? Make my car payment? Not to mention that enormous student loan payment.
Before you know it, that nagging voice has been hushed and you march into the office, still feeling discontent to struggle through another day.
Often, these feelings accompany burnout. The Mayo Clinic defines job burnout as “a state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work.”
It can be really challenging to make good decisions when you’re experiencing burnout.
Lawyers are very logical by nature so you may find that your brain goes through a set of very similar thought patterns each time you consider a change — which leads to further inaction.
If you feel stuck in the thought pattern I’ve described, try this writing exercise.
So, You Want To Quit Law But You’re Overcome With Fear? Try This Exercise. curated from Above the Law
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