The car had turned off, power steering was gone, and my husband had to guide the car over to the shoulder. Thank God we were already in the right-hand lane.

We had run out of gas.

Now what? I’ve never experienced this before.

My husband kept repeating, “I should have stopped for gas. I can’t believe this is happening.”

I resisted the urge to say a few snarky comments like, “No shit, Sherlock.” Or, “I told you so. I mentioned it, again, after we left that last store.” That would be fuel to start a conflict, not the car.

I let a few worrying thoughts pass through my mind, “Wow, those cars are going fast. This is how people die when they are pulled over due to an emergency.”

He called his brother to ask for help, but I knew we’d still be sitting there in 3 hours if we relied on his brother.

My mind quickly went to solution mode. I had no time for thoughts and emotions other than, “This is a problem, how are we going to solve it?”

I pictured the yellow Tennessee Department of Transportation trucks that help stranded cars. 

I wondered, “how do we get one of those?” 

Pulled up our trusty friend Google. 

Bam, within 5 minutes, we had help. A nice gentleman with the TDOT filled up the tank with a gallon of gas to get us to the next exit and a gas station.

We made it. And thankfully, for my husband’s sake, our daughter slept the whole time. That lady has a steel-trap memory, and she would likely never let him forget this. I can picture it ten years later, “Daddy, remember that time we ran out of gas?” 

Why am I telling you this?

It made me think of all the lawyers out there running on a proverbial empty tank, walking that fine stress-inducing line between the “gas gauge light is on” and “I have to get to my destination. No time to stop.”  

I thought about all the lawyers out there putting on a face that everything is great! But on the inside, they are feeling depleted, stressed, and empty.

Ironically, we were on a mission to get some new suit jackets from the tailor before it closed because looking sharp at the office is especially important to my lawyer-husband. I respect and understand that, but I also believe that looking sharp on the outside doesn’t mean shit if the inside is a chaotic mess.

I’m also telling you this because help is closer than you think.

Like the TDOT truck, I am just a click away.

Book a Thriving Lawyer call. We chat for 45 minutes about your current challenges, where you want to go, what’s getting in your way, and how you can get there.

You don’t have to run on empty. You can fill up your tank and thrive in law and life.

P.S. I used to be this way – running on an empty tank all the time. It was miserable. I had a wake-up call – that’s a story for another time – but it did involve a decision that I didn’t want things to be miserable anymore, and I needed to do what was necessary to change. It is possible. 

P.P.S. Did you see this viral LinkedIn post from an HSBC manager who had a heart attack due to overwork? Burnout and overwork is an epidemic – we’ve known this for a few years. Now people are just fried. Let’s stop accepting this as the norm. YOU can be part of the cultural change and a model to others lawyers for what is possible.