Over the last two months, I have learned a thing or two about how easy it is to feel stressed and overwhelmed even when doing the things we love. I started my new business because I wanted to help lawyers learn practical ways to take care of themselves and enjoy their careers even more than they already do. What I found in the process is that I was plagued by feelings of self-doubt because I let my inner critic speak louder than the inner voice that fuels my excitement and passion. I felt like I needed to do things a certain way to meet other peoples’ expectations rather than my own, and I worried that if things didn’t look perfect on my website that people wouldn’t want to work with me.

Thankfully, I have people in my life (like my amazing husband, Luke, and my incredible web designer, Izzy Waite (PSA: please hire her for ALL your web/branding needs!)) who can talk some sense into me, remind me to be kind to myself, and encourage me to take the advice that I so often give to others – be kind and patient with yourself! I was reminded that even though I have a lot to offer in the well-being space, I’m still doing a lot of things for the first time, and it’s okay to stumble and learn how to “not” do something in the process. I’ve had many conversations with lawyers in practice over 20 years who made a mistake that caused them to question everything about their talent. As much as we may want to believe otherwise, we are not perfect. Not when we’re doing something for the first time or doing something for the 100^th time. And that’s okay!

If you find yourself feeling discouraged or frustrated when things don’t go as planned, remember that you are only human and deserve a little love and grace in those moments (actually, we deserve a LOT of love and grace in ALL moments). I’ve been there, and I know how hard this can be. I actually have post-its around my office reminding me of these things and I know other lawyers who have journals where they keep track of positive feedback and “smile folders” with positive emails. Think about what you need to learn to be kind and patient with yourself. While it would be nice to think we shouldn’t need such reminders, self-criticism is a real thing and one way to let your positive inner voice speak louder than your inner critic is to use reminders until self-love becomes your default!