May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It provides a reminder that mental health is essential and those living with mental health conditions are not defined by their mental health. 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition over the course of their lifetime and everyone will face challenges that can and will affect their mental health. Mental health conditions can be caused by things like biology, trauma, or environmental factors. It is not a result of personal weakness. There is nothing wrong with you if you are struggling. There is nothing wrong with you if you are seeking help. It is beyond time to end the stigma that exists surrounding mental health conditions.
One way to do that is to talk about it. Another way is to celebrate doing something about it. No matter where you are on the spectrum of working on your mental health, I invite you to explore the Institute for Well-Being in Law’s Well-Being Week in Law, which starts today. Each day this week will give you an opportunity to do something to take care of you. Today, find a break to go for a walk. Or get creative and walk around your room while you are on those telephone calls. Try Desk Yoga to get the blood flowing. Or just take a few minutes to breathe. Yes, breathe. Purposeful breathing can reduce your stress.
If you’re feeling skeptical right now, ask yourself why? And what do you have to lose? If I had read this last year, I would have been right there with you. In January this year I started exercising and doing short, guided meditations. It made a huge impact on me, reducing my stress and anxiety, and allowing me to kick out the inpatient and sometimes downright mean, old lady who had taken over my body. I also started checking in with the SDCBA Wellness webpage and Facebook page, which offer resources and content to help on the journey. I hope you’ll focus on wellness this week and know that you’re not alone as you do it. Thousands of lawyers across the country will be doing it with you.
I’ll be doing it each day this week (#WellbeingWeekInLaw) and I’ll be cheering you on, too.
Yours,
Renée N.G. Stackhouse
2021 SDCBA President
Reading now: When by Daniel H. Pink
Listening to: Yo Perreo Sola by Bad Bunny (and Nesi)
What are you reading or listening to? Tag us #sdlaw #sdcba