The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief. . .What If We Stopped Living on Autopilot?

“Be the one who decided to go for it.”-Unknown

Welcome (back) to the Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief! Each week, I share insights and practical strategies to help us cultivate well-being and thrive — both personally and professionally. This week, we are looking at getting of autopilot and being aware.

What if we began our days aware?

We wake slowly, feeling calm and grounded. The water in the shower isn’t just functional — it’s restorative. We notice how it feels, how it soothes. We let the music move through us, even if we don’t dance. We savor our coffee. We check our inboxes not out of panic, but from a place of calm curiosity — just to ensure nothing truly urgent has arrived. We remember that someone else’s chaos doesn’t need to become our emergency.

We write down the one thing that matters most today. The thing that moves the needle in the direction of what really matters to us. And we commit to two simple actions to support it.

Then we work — with intention. Not distracted, not scattered, not pulled by a dozen tabs or alerts. Just here, now, focused.

We pause when we need to. We breathe. We look out the window. We feel the sun. We check in with our bodies and move when we’ve been sitting too long. We create space not just for getting things done, but for noticing life as it happens.

The more we practice this, the more we realize — this isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about being in our lives, not just racing through them.

Sure, interruptions come. Emergencies pop up. But we’ve built a practice that helps us meet them calmly, respond thoughtfully, and then return — without getting pulled completely off course.

Most of us have spent far too long living on autopilot. Reacting instead of choosing. Drifting instead of deciding. But that doesn’t have to be our story.

There’s a different way. A slower, saner, more spacious way.
And it starts with one thing: awareness.

Awareness is what helps us wake up — not just in the morning, but to our lives. It’s what lets us see what matters. It’s the key that unlocks intention, choice, and well-being.

We don’t have to be swept up in a world built for speed and noise.
We can pause. We can listen. We can choose.

So let’s practice. Let’s unplug from the reactive loop and come back to the present. Let’s make space for what’s real and nourishing.

Because when we do that — when we choose awareness over autopilot —
we begin to live not just more efficiently,
but more fully.

Forward Always!