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This week’s episode of the Happy Lawyer Happy Life Podcast is a little unusual in that it is my first #soloshow!  Now I wish I could tell you this was a well planned trial of something new but truthfully it is getting tricky to fit these in person interviews in between my daily life as a lawyer and as much as I could move to phone/ skype interviews, the thing I have come to love about this show is the in person interview- the sitting with people, in real life and unraveling their stories!  And so while the limited hours in the day has meant that I am a little behind in my recordings I decided I would take this chance to grab the microphone and #gosolo!

This past few months I have also been working away on version 2 of my book ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’.  It is 3 years now since I published version 1 and I have learned so much since.  So I am taking the opportunity in this episode to share with you a few of my learnings of late, some of the tools I am using both within my firm but also more generally in life to generate happiness and my suggestions for ‘where to from here’ when it comes to the wellness conversation in our profession.

It intrigues me no end that we lawyers, the most educated and in many respects privileged in society, are still struggling with some of the structures within our profession that underpin our unhappiness.  It is almost ironic, as if we can’t change them then who really can!  So this week I am sharing why I think Marie Kondo and her purposeful art of #sparkingjoy may hold the answer for us all.

In this episode, I share 3 big influences on my thinking at the moment;

• The work of American designer Ingrid Fetell Lee and her book, ‘Joyful‘ and Ted talk, ‘Where joy hides and how to find it’; and
• Marie Kondo and her ideals of how we can choose whether the things around us “Spark Joy” in our lives; and
• My third big influence at the moment is all of you!
• I reflect on some of the connections I have made over the last year and the impact of giving value to happiness in a profession that historically has not really created space for such things.
• The impact of my communities, like The Club and the 7 Day Happiness Challenge.

Shake it off – Is confetti the answer to the modern lawyer’s problems?  Well I think it is!

• We need to be clear on the challenges that our profession faces and work out what is within our control to change and what is not.
• We can change some of the biggest drivers of stress and unhappiness- billable hours, overworking and workplace culture.
•  The challenge of ‘the other lawyer’ and the power that comes, both in the good and bad.
• We need to acknowledge that a good lawyer is kind, considerate, calm and compassionate
• Understanding the impact of the space around us and how it makes us feel.
• Is there really such thing as a “Happy Lawyer” and what my learnings have been since starting The Happy Family Lawyer Blog.
• The reason I always focus on health as the first driver of happiness.
• Asking myself the question, ‘Does ____ spark joy in me’. If it does not it goes!
• Change what we think AND what we do if we want to feel differently.
• Whether it be yoga at lunch or indoor plants, we have to invest time into sparking joy.
• Finally, we get to talk about the confetti! If the law was a colour what would be – grey right? Why is this?
• My observations of colour, sound and scent both in and outside my office.
• How we can influence our teams and my confetti challenge for your colleagues.
• My Happiness Tip for this week.

Sit back, throw some confetti and spark some joy!

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Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa Rayward at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre-  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Listen to last week’s episode here