June P. Johnson: Inhale Positivity, Exhale Fear

August 03, 2020

During these uncertain times, many people are understandably stressed out. It is not the familiar stress of the morning commute or shuffling the kids to their after-school activities; it is something new. This new stress presents as a fear of things we all took for granted.

In these unprecedented times, we have to make tough decisions balancing safety against normalcy. Should we attend that familiar gathering of family and friends? If we don’t go, will our loved ones be disappointed? Should we shop online or battle anxiety and go into the store? And finally, should the camera be on or off during a Zoom meeting? For many of us, our mental health has taken a substantial blow. Statistics are clear — when we are not worrying about our jobs or the future, we are overworking ourselves out of fear of appearing unproductive. Clearly, we are all paying the emotional price. Tempers are short and patience is thin.

It is important during this time to breathe and be mindful of our emotional and mental health. Attorneys understand the risk of burnout, but many of us refuse to acknowledge the substantial risk our over-burned lives is costing us.

The global pandemic has taken so many things away from us. How do we cope? In the words of Leo Tolstoy, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.” While these two things are vitally important, I would also include breath. Intentionality around breath has always been an important part of my life’s journey. During many points in my life, I have had to turn to deep breathing to center myself. In my first bench trial (inhale), my client decided to skip court (exhale); the opposing party was being unnecessarily difficult (inhale), and the judge looked bored during my glamorous opening statement (exhale). Breath has always gotten me over the hump, until it didn’t.

In the winter of 2011, I was hired for my dream job. I was sworn in as an assistant state’s attorney for Baltimore City. I prosecuted landlord–tenant violations and other environmental crimes committed against the state of Maryland. Professionally, it was a wonderful time of learning that grew and expanded my legal skills. Personally, it was unbearable as I lost my beloved father to kidney cancer. The grief was suffocating, and as a result, the stress of this loss began to manifest physically in the form of body spasms.

Like most lawyers with Type A personalities, I gathered evidence of the problem and formed a plan to resolve it. I joined a gym. Shockingly, or not so shockingly, my body rebelled against this outrageous treatment. Soon, I was at my wits’ end.

In the spirit of complete transparency, I can tell you I don’t remember what led me to my first yoga class at Charm City Yoga in Baltimore City. Honestly, I can’t remember much about that morning after my arrival except that I tried to hide in the back with my socks on. Thankfully, the instructor welcomed me and gently guided me forward. After a few deep breaths, my body informed me that we were in the right place.

Fast forward several years, the body spams are gone, and in October 2018, I sought and received a yoga teaching certification at CorePower in Washington, D.C. The certification process was grueling on my 40-year-old body, but thanks to bar prep, I was used to pain. Immediately after I received my certification, a former colleague contacted me via Facebook, asking if I would teach yoga during her office’s wellness hour. Currently, as a result of the global pandemic, I am now teaching chair yoga online.

Breath and movement have served me well in my life, and now I hope to help others to breathe, heal, and transform.

June P. Johnson is a yoga instructor and founder of True Bliss Television. Next, Johnson will be interviewing fellow Bar members about unconventional mindfulness strategies in their personal and professional lives.