Practicing law as a litigation attorney and dealing with disputes on a daily basis can feel draining. In some situations, you may be pursuing relief for a client who has been wronged, and in other situations you may be defending a client against damaging accusations. In addition to navigating complex issues, you can find yourself engaging with difficult personalities, including attorneys who seem to follow a credo where any and every disagreement, large or small, must be addressed with the same level of outrage and aggression. Remember the old adage, “Don’t sweat the small stuff?” Well, it seems to be a faded memory for many practitioners, or maybe a lesson never grasped.
I generally have an optimistic demeanor and approach to life, which probably is an odd trait for a litigator. My demeanor can be misconstrued, as I’m also one to never back down from a challenge in both my professional and personal life. Challenges enable growth and help us learn more about ourselves and reach our true potential.
I recently challenged myself to participate in my first RAGNAR relay race. First, the story of how I got involved in this challenge is interesting. The weekend after I left my last firm (i.e. when I went out on my own), I attended a gala for the “Next Stage Customs” non-profit organization. It was my first outing as a solo practitioner, and I donated one of my paintings for the silent auction. At the event, I was seated with a group of professional women whom I enjoyed meeting. One of the women ended up bidding on my painting! She won the bid, and I revealed to her I was the artist. She was thrilled. As we continued talking, it came out we both enjoyed running. Fast forward a few months later. I was visiting my parents, and she texted me and asked if I would join her RAGNAR team for Spring 2024. Without really knowing what it involved, I told my Dad I was thinking about it since it was a year of exploring new things and putting myself out there. In a moment of clarity, he said, do it! So I did, without any research.
In early 2024 reality hit when I finally did my research. RAGNAR is a two-day relay race event that takes place in various locations across the country (including Atlanta). Each team collectively runs approximately 120 miles over the two-day period. The Atlanta event is a trail race, with each team member running three legs ranging 4-6.5 miles each leg. The kicker is you stay overnight in tents and run more than once a day and during the night! All new for me.
I realized a 3 month training program would be necessary and had all the best intentions. I did a good job with the training although not what I set out to accomplish. With work being busy, and other life demands, I did what I could and managed to run at least 2-3 times a week plus cross training. In the final stretch before the big race, everything seemed to flare up at once so it was a juggling act and training had to take a lower priority. I took a leap of faith by showing up to the event with a belief it would be a memorable experience if nothing else and vowing to make the best of it.
The challenge was everything and more. For starters, I learned how to set up a tent by myself! It was a small but victorious milestone. Also, it was a moment for self-care as the event involved unplugging for a couple of days and enjoying the outdoors and a sense of camaraderie. It’s amazing what a couple of days of getting out of your normal routine can do to reenergize and revitalize you. Also, the values of commitment and perseverance were reinforced. There were times I felt challenged physically and mentally by the tests of endurance, but I pushed through and saw it through to the end. No quitting! Finally, there were lessons of teamwork and motivation as our team bonded and came together to support each other and provide motivation. I went in knowing only the team captain and left having several new friends who shared a memorable journey with me. Challenges provide strength and show us we are capable of more than we realize.
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