The dictionary defines resentment as a "bitter indignation at having been treated unfairly." Some have called it "victim anger."

The problem is that our fear can often be unknown and very powerful. We sometimes succumb to it without even knowing. How you respond to fear is precisely what differentiates you from all the others, and sets you on your path to success.

Seems like a contradiction, doesn't it? Get uncomfortable and be free? When I was young, I always wanted to have a comfortable life. To be safe, to have a relaxed, easy life. That's what some people call our "comfort zone." But is it really enough? Are we really satisfied in our comfort zone?

So many of us struggle with this problem. Our partner keeps giving us more work to do. The court schedules unexpected hearings. Our clients call, asking us to help resolve a crisis. We have so much work to do, and seemingly so little time, that we feel overwhelmed and stressed. What to do?

We face so many stresses in our professions. We encounter demands of clients; stresses about money and paying bills; too much work and too little time; and the pressures of the court, other attorneys, and our full calendar. The pressure builds. We work harder. But, we just feel more overwhelmed. We eliminate any time for ourselves. We just do not have any time for self-care. And, so the stress worsens. We get more distracted, and our focus weakens. It is a challenging downward cycle. How do we change that?

I did a poll recently and found that so many attorneys encounter tremendous stress in our profession- too much work and not enough time to do it; financial pressures; demanding clients; partners who want us to always absorb more work, a calendar that is always full to the brim. I know I have found it very demanding and stressful in my four decades of being a trial attorney.

We joined the legal profession for many different reasons. Some of us liked the prestige or the financial benefits. Others are attracted to the intellectual challenge. But the most prevalent reason is our desire to be of service to others, to help clients solve their problems.

There is very little more important to our profession than our reputation for integrity and honor. Sadly, the legal profession is often viewed with some measure of disregard. Some of that comes from how some attorneys practice law. Some are overly aggressive and focus on winning at all costs.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed and don't know how to achieve a sense of peace among the chaos??

I did a poll recently and verified what I previously thought: perhaps the biggest and most powerful stress that lawyers and other professionals feel is that of time, a lack of time. So many feel trapped by having too much work to do, not enough time to do it, and an inability to separate work from family and other personal activities.