I recently retired after practicing family law for 25 years. I enjoyed the practice of law but as you can imagine, my job had its share of stress and anxiety. I once heard that the highest-stress job in the world is goalie on a soccer team; fans watching your every move while you are all alone out there with nobody to blame if you give up a goal. Being a divorce lawyer comes in somewhere below that on the scale, but you get the point. We assume a lot of responsibility for our clients in every case we sign on for.

Early in the game, I found that the stress of the work was formidable. There were some cases that I brought home with me on weekends and were the first thing I thought of when getting up in the morning. The worry and anxiety worked its way into other areas of my life. I wondered what I could do to find some relief from the stress.

One day, I was reading the newspaper and saw an advertisement announcing an upcoming breathing and meditation course. I called the number, talked to a volunteer about the course content, and signed up. The course was put on by Art of Living, a nonprofit organization that had chosen as its mission teaching meditation techniques to interested individuals. I didn’t really have any experience with the group or their techniques, but I decided to give it a try anyway. The breathing course, which was conducted in person over a weekend, was attended by me and a group of about 15 others.

All together, the exercises take about 15 minutes in the morning to complete. I would do the breath work every morning, and it had an immediate — and significant — impact on my day. I started each day with a calm and peaceful mind. The practice allowed me to touch base with that part of me undeterred by the trials and troubles of the world. Basically, I gained access to the serenity in my mind; by doing so, it allowed me to face the challenges of the day with the best possible attitude. It was easier to deal with my work. I had a clearer perspective; calmness became my preferred mindset.

When it was time to retire from the law, I was a bit wary. I liked my job and enjoyed the company of colleagues at work. I had become accustomed to my identity as a lawyer. Slowly but surely over the course of time, I became more comfortable with the concept. I retired on my 25th anniversary with my firm. Still, one burning question remained: “What’s next?”

The fun parts of retirement are easy. I started playing the ukelele, which has been a riot. Starting from square one, I am a work in progress, but time is on my side. I had forgotten how much fun music can be. Another upbeat pursuit is pickleball. It is a great game and a good workout, and it’s not hard to find someone to play with.

One part of retirement has been more of a challenge — finding a way to give back to the community. Like all of us, my career has had an impact of many people, both clients and colleagues. Regardless of the outcome of a particular case, I used my skills with the intention of creating a positive impression in the process. I think we all work in our own way to make things better. My hope was to continue being a positive force in a meaningful way and when it came down to it, I was looking to use my abilities to make things better, just like I did during my life as a lawyer.

I investigated many volunteer positions out there but struggled to find the right one for me. I wanted something that utilized my skill set and would have a meaningful impact on the community. After considering my options, I decided to become a teacher for the Art of Living. Earlier this year, I was accepted into the Art of Living teacher training program and spent two weeks at the Art of Living Center in Uvalde, Texas, where I went through an intensive program learning the methods and practices needed to be a teacher. I am now a certified Art of Living teacher, coaching others on the breathing practices that were so important to me. By sharing these tools with others, I hope people can find the peace in their own lives that I have found in mine.

CONCLUSION

For my colleagues contemplating retirement, know that there are many opportunities and activities that will fill your life with enjoyment. You can also find ways to use your abilities in meaningful ways. Bear in mind one truth about stress — it doesn’t retire. It tends to find us. You may not have cases to worry about any longer, but the mind finds some other situation to cause consternation. Consider learning a meditation technique that will help ease your mind.

For all of you not quite ready to call it a career, consider meditation. Finding a way to calm my mind in the heat of battle was an invaluable tool to me, and if it was there for me, then it can be there for you, too. Soldier on.