This message is for all of my busy, high-achieving court reporters. I was exhausted for two decades and had no idea how to fix it. After 25 years of working to make ALL of the money, volunteering any extra time I had, mentoring every student and new reporter I could find (on top of being a devoted wife and super mom), I finally recognized that I had poured all I could pour and my cup was bone dry...I had to make some changes.
For almost three decades, "resting" for me was being able to sleep in, a 3-day weekend so I could get caught up on work, taking a trip out of town for a week, pretty much anything that did not involve me going into the courtroom. But what I thought was "resting" was actually just one more thing to plan, one more thing to worry over, and I was never quite able to rest. I always felt like I needed a few extra days to recover from the days off.
Fast-forward to an unsuccessful election to become the president of my state association, and I was finally able to sit still and mute the noise for long enough to realize how tired I really was. There is nothing like quiet time to shed a light on your true physical and mental capacity. These days I get super excited about finding different ways to fill my own cup because I see that it allows me to not only be a better wife and mom, but it makes me a better court reporter and industry leader as well. I encourage all of my colleagues to RELEASE yourselves from stress and anxiety and learn how to rest! Fill your cup first and keep it full so that whenever you give, it comes not from what you need to sustain you, but it comes from what is overflowing from your cup. Keep your cup full and overflowing!