What does wellness mean to you?
For me wellness is recognizing that we are so much more than isolated aspects of ourselves—we are not our jobs, our relationships, our possessions, our bodies, etc.—and knowing that we must attend to all these aspects of ourselves that make us who we are. Wellness means given attention to all parts of ourselves – mentally, physically, emotionally, relationally, etc. Investing in wellness means honoring all the complex aspects of who we really are!
What kinds of wellness practices do you do?
Aside from a regular cardio/weight routine, I am a huge advocate for meditation and yoga. I’m not much of a yogi but I make time to go through some yoga poses and meditate every morning. This practice allows me the opportunity to connect with myself and assess where I am at before beginning each day. Sometimes my mind is a mess and I have to schedule in additional meditation sessions throughout my day! Afterwards, I start each day by setting my priorities and intention for each day. I limit myself to THREE priorities every day that I am committed to accomplishing. From there, I write down one thing I am grateful for that day, one thing I am looking forward to that day, and one thing I will commit to avoiding that day. Finally, I set my intention for the day. This small routine each morning helps me decide how I want to show up and where to direct my focus.
During the week, I reserve one morning (usually Fridays) to regroup and plan my meals, projects, and tasks for the following week. Knowing where each task falls on my schedule alleviates so much stresss and frees up a lot of mental space. Everything from my to do list gets a spot on my calendar. Everything! My calendar is my biggest asset and tool for managing the chaos of life; I don’t do anything without first consulting my calendar which is centered around my weekly priorities. As part of that routine, every Sunday morning, I reserve a few hours for introspective time—I write and meditate and reconnect with my ultimate goals for that week/month/year.
For fun, I mix up my workouts with hip hop dance classes to relive my years as a dancer (I think I still got it!).
What led you to these wellness practices?
Early in my career I was working at a large law firm that was incredibly unhealthy. I was working all the time and feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted. I cried in my office regularly (we all did!) and I felt like I was always walking on eggshells around certain partners. The environment was toxic and I was miserable. Adding to that, I found myself in an incredibly abusive relationship. I could feel my world falling apart and I looked to exercise and meditation to get the clarity I needed to take action.
With meditation and exercise, I found the strength I needed to get out of both situations and start building my dream life. I needed those experiences to learn how important it is to take care of myself and how essential it is to have a healthy relationship with myself above all others.
Do you have a favorite wellness resource(s) you can recommend?
For those just starting meditation, the Oprah and Deepak Chopra’s 21-Day Meditation series are a phenomenal starting place.
I am a huge advocate of using the internet to keep it simple. Some days, I don’t have time to make it the gym or a dance class so instead I pull up a quick class on YouTube to squeeze in the exercise that I need. On YouTube, I’m a big fan of Yoga with Adrienne and dance workouts with the Fitness Marshall or any MixxedFit class.
How do you incorporate wellness practices into your lifestyle?
My partner knows how important it is for me to meditate in the mornings and he gives me the space and quiet I need for my practice. In this remote environment, however, I have found that the transition from “work” to “home” had gotten really murky. I realized that I needed to have a transitional activity at the end of my workday to unwind before slipping into my homelife roles (and to prevent my workday bleeding into my home life). Part of this was communicating to my partner that I need some space at the end of the day when I leave my home office. Just some quiet time alone to unwind before picking up again on something new. Sometimes, I walk the dogs, other times I sit down with a book or a puzzle or slip into a hot bath. Having that disconnection activity has kept the lines between professional and personal life from getting too blurred.
How do you make time for wellness throughout the day?
I make time for myself every.single.day. I reserve time on my calendar to take a break, read a book, or take the dogs for a walk. I put everything on my calendar and I honor those commitments to myself like I would honor a commitment to my clients. My calendar is my first line of defense against overwhelm and facilitates my boundaries but this also requires that I reserve open space on my calendar every day to do whatever I want to relax. Sometimes, I feel like as attorneys, we are hardwired to accomplish nonstop and sometimes having that open space on my calendar forces me to recognize that I don’t always have to be ACCOMPLISHING. It’s okay have parts of the day that require nothing of me.
How important is it to bring wellness into the legal industry? Why? What changes would you like to see?
My coaching practice focuses solely on female attorneys and I see firsthand how few of us are taking proper care for ourselves. We are driven, successful people and every day we give everything we’ve got….and it is killing us and driving us out of this profession. My personal mission is to help women learn the power of “no” (my favorite complete sentence) and the power of boundary setting.
As women, I think we have disconnected from ourselves and our innate value. So many of my clients are so incredibly hard of themselves, they have completely lost sight of all they have accomplished! I work with my clients to help them realize their own power and take back ownership of their careers. For too long, we have been everyone’s favorite utility player but now it’s time for us to be the captains in our own game. I don’t expect the legal industry will change any time soon so the only thing we can change is ourselves and see how that change can inspire others to do the same. As we all work to lift ourselves up, we inspire others and bring others with us. THAT is how we can bring wellness back into the legal industry—we have to personally demonstrate new norms.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I love working with professional women because not only are you amazing and successful but you are attuned to your own wants and needs. We know that the legal industry is not always conducive to happiness and balance and we know we are struggling. What I love about my clients is their commitment to change and their investment in themselves. Whether you are working with a coach or another trusted mentor, the point is to have someone you are sharing your journey with. We are not alone in our struggles and there is tremendous power in being vulnerable and sharing our challenges. We are all in this together!
Autumn Noble is a certified executive life coach who works exclusively with female attorneys. She helps clients reclaim their voice. navigate firm politics, obtain greater work-life balance, and find greater peace and happiness. If you find yourself on an island in your professional life, struggling to find your path in a world where you can’t seem to fit in, she can help you!
Autumn spent 10 years building up her law practice and eventually founded and lead a practice group at a large corporate law firm before moving in-house with a Fortune 300 company.
Connect with her here!