“My biggest rule is no email before meditation.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Jeena Cho<\/a>\u00a0started meditating to relieve the stress from her high-pressure job as a lawyer. Meditation made such a positive impact in her life that she now teaches meditation<\/a> to other lawyers and is even writing a book on meditation for the American Bar Association. <\/p>\n Cho is also a popular coach on Coach.me<\/a>. She told us why she thinks meditation is such a powerful tool for lawyers or anyone in a high-stress job, how meditation has boosted her performance and gave out her top tips for people\u00a0just getting started.<\/p>\n In short, meditation has helped me become more of myself. It has also helped me to let go of my tendency to cling to a certain outcome. I\u2019ve loosened my grip on wanting things my way and demanding perfection. The only thing I can do is show up, do my best, and recognize that the outcome is often not up to me.<\/p>\n As a bankruptcy lawyer, I\u2019m the bearer of my client\u2019s suffering. I\u2019ve worked with clients who ended up in dire financial situations due to unexpected death, illness, divorce, and\/or deceit. I used to internalize all my clients\u2019 suffering, and carry it around with me. This led to some detachment from my clients; I\u2019d resist hearing their sad stories. Now, I can be fully present with my clients, and listen to their stories with kindness and compassion. I can also acknowledge my emotions that may come bubbling up to the surface. I can just be with my clients without immediately jumping into \u201clawyer mode.\u201d<\/p>\n The way I interact with people in general has shifted in a positive direction. When I\u2019m stuck in traffic, instead of getting irritated or angry, I practice loving-kindness meditation and send well wishes to those around me who are also stuck in traffic.<\/p>\n I also find that I am able to focus on the task at hand so that I can get more done. But, I\u2019m not doing more just for the sake of accomplishing more. I\u2019ve become more intentional about why I am doing (or not doing) a task. I now instinctively focus on tasks that are aligned with my mission, values and vision, instead of mindlessly doing more for the sake of checking a to-do item off the list.<\/p>\n I started meditating because I was losing clumps of hair due to constant stress and anxiety. My options were go on antidepressants or try something new. I decided to try Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) based on the scientific research.<\/p>\n My goal was to reduce stress and anxiety so I\u2019d stop losing hair. Thankfully, it worked! In hindsight, my body was giving me clues along the way that I was completely overwhelmed. I had constant insomnia, backaches, and headaches. I think losing hair was my body\u2019s way of saying \u201cpay attention!\u201d<\/p>\n Meditation has helped me become more focused and this certainly gives me a competitive edge. However, I feel it\u2019s misguided to meditate solely to gain a leg up against your competition or peers. Meditation is so much more than a vehicle to increase concentration, focus, or productivity. Yes, meditation can help you do all of that, but that\u2019s like buying a Porsche to drive to your local 7-Eleven.<\/p>\n One experience really stands out when I reflect on my meditation practice. I grew up in New York City and we were poor. I always felt a lot of pain whenever I saw a homeless person so my default reaction for many years was to avoid them. I\u2019d cross the street or look away. It just felt so hopeless.<\/p>\n During one of my meditation classes, I read Rumi\u2019s quote:<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t turn away. Keep your gaze on the bandaged place. That\u2019s where the light enters you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As an experiment, I decided to practice my loving-kindness meditation whenever I saw a homeless person. So, instead of turning away, I\u2019d look at the person, make eye contact, and I\u2019d silently wish that person well. I\u2019d wish that person happiness and freedom from suffering. Then one day, as I was walking into BART, I saw a homeless person. He asked if I had any spare change and I told him that I couldn\u2019t offer him money. He then saw the box of pastries I was carrying and asked if he could have a donut. I gladly obliged. He was delighted, and I felt so much joy that I almost broke into tears.<\/p>\n I was practicing looking at the painful places and I allowed for opportunities for the light to enter. Since I started this practice, I\u2019ve had other similar encounters with homeless people. I once read that one of the most painful experiences of being homeless is the feeling of being invisible. Knowing that when I\u2019m simply witnessing or being there for someone, even if it\u2019s only for a moment can make a difference was a very powerful realization for me.<\/p>\n I am writing a book called The Anxious Lawyer<\/em>. It\u2019s an eight week, self-guided course on cultivating a mindfulness practice for lawyers. The practice of law presents amazing opportunities for being mindful. There\u2019s a tendency to demonize the opposing side, which leads to a lack of civility that is rampant in our legal system. My hope is that as more lawyers begin to practice mindfulness, we stop demonizing our opponents and recognize that we\u2019re all playing our role. I have a role as a lawyer to represent my client to the best of my ability, and this needs to include recognizing our common humanity.<\/p>\n In addition, I hope that lawyers can put the \u201ccounsel\u201d back into Counselor at Law. Often, clients come to us wanting \u201cjustice,\u201d which most often means financial compensation. However, that\u2019s not the end of the story. There\u2019s often deep wounds, pain, and suffering beneath the surface. This may be the reason why even when my clients prevail and obtained a judgment in their favor, the victory feels hollow. I\u2019d like to see lawyers play role of peacemakers, facilitating opportunities for forgiveness and healing.<\/p>\n I roll out of bed and go straight to my meditation cushion (after a \u201cbio break\u201d). I find that if I don\u2019t meditate immediately after waking up, I can get easily distracted and skip meditation. My biggest rule is no email before meditation.<\/p>\n Depending on the day, I\u2019ll sit for 5 – 45 minutes. I try to do a longer sit at least couple of times a week. I also like meditating on Caltrain on my way to work. Usually, I\u2019ll set a timer using Insight Timer but occasionally, I like to use guided meditations.<\/p>\n Typically, I\u2019ll do some combination of checking in, breath awareness, body scan, following the breath, noticing sensations, sounds, thoughts, loving-kindness and\/or mantra meditation.<\/p>\n Recently, I started meditating for five minutes right before I fall asleep. I\u2019ve found that adding the second meditation has helped me deepen my meditation experience and I sleep better.<\/p>\n Yes! Here are a few:<\/p>\n [Tweet “”My biggest rule is no email before meditation.” @coachdotme interviews lawyer @Jeena_Cho”]<\/p>\nHow has\u00a0meditation improved your performance?<\/h3>\n
Why did you start meditating? What was your goal?<\/h3>\n
Do you think meditation gives you a competitive edge? If so, how?<\/h3>\n
Can you share a story about how meditation has helped you overcome obstacles?<\/h3>\n
You’re writing a book about mindfulness\u00a0for the American Bar Association.\u00a0What is it about and what inspired you to write it?<\/h3>\n
What is your meditation routine?<\/h3>\n
Do you have tips for making meditation a habit?<\/h3>\n
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Get your free chapter of The Strongest Mind in the Room: How Meditation Boosts Human Performance<\/a>. Find free guided meditations on our How to Meditate<\/a><\/span> Coach.me Guide.<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Strongest](\"http:\/\/blog.coach.me\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/strongest-mind-book-mockup-5-150x150.png\")
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