11.12.23 Sunday Reset

#SundayReset

I’ve had two significant emergencies arise during my career so far.

An appendectomy and a sudden death of a family member—one at each firm.

For each, my coworkers were gracious, supportive, and understanding.

Just as you hope they’ll be—but you don’t know for sure until it happens.

Of course, there have been instances when this wasn’t the case.

Like being told I was unavailable around my wedding, which I took 1.5 days off for, for the actual ceremony, and another 2.5 days off for a reception two weeks later.

Nearly a year later, looking for an email in a case file, I found emails I sent on my actual wedding day.

#biglaw gets a bad rap. The stereotypes, of course, stand in some truth.

I’ve experienced a pocket of the toxicity you hear about. And when asked, I tell people: there are jerks everywhere—no firm is an exception to that.

I’ve experienced the self-imposed pressure to perform for people you admire that leads to low self confidence and ultimately burnout.

But: most of my experience—the vast majority of my time here—has been positive and filled with legitimate and real support, growth, friendships, and positivity.

The latter gives me hope.

It gives me permission to be that for every other person I encounter in this job.

It creates room for me to shout from the rooftop: it doesn’t have to be that way.

So, to my gracious, supportive, kind colleagues: thank you.

I am grateful to have found people like you and to have your encouragement when life happens.

I’m grateful the majority of people in my little corner of big law understand that we are humans first, above all else.

#lawyerwellbeing #mindfullyemily #life #grateful