How to Cope with Stress from Legal Issues
You know what no one ever talks about when it comes to legal issues in your business: the toll it takes on you mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Legal issues are stressful.
They can be tricky to understand and the fear of making a mistake that results in a big consequence is very real.
So when we talk about becoming legalese fluent and taking a proactive approach to the legalities of your work, we also need to talk about how you’re tending to your nervous system as a part of that.
Because when I mention “business” and “legal issues” in the same sentence, people tend to respond with:
Panic;
A subject change; or
Literal tears about this thing they know they need to deal with but have been avoiding.
First, let’s just name it: fear is one hell of a drug. It will have you avoiding stuff you need to deal with. It will tell you that something that’s pretty simple is extremely complicated and you’ll never be able to figure it out. And it will make you think that everything’s gone to hell and your business is going under and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
I’ve had more than one client who has been victimized by fear so if it’s happened to you or is currently happening to you, know you’re not alone.
But also know that avoidance is a flight response.
Second, let’s talk about what you can do for your nervous system to help it calm down so you can revisit that legal issue that needs your attention. Here are some of my favorite tools for nervous system soothing that will help you cultivate the space and energy you need to muster the courage to face that scary legal thing.
Play the worst-case scenario game. Write your worst-case scenario down. Underneath that write “If that happens, then what” and write the next worst-case scenario. Keep writing these down until your brain runs out of worst-case scenarios. In my experience, this always starts off really scary, but I always end up laughing at how wild my brain is by the end of it. Our brains are very powerful. Sometimes that’s helpful and sometimes it’s not. Worst-case scenario games help us see how unhelpful our brains can be.
Do a short HIIT workout or some other type of cardio. 15 to 20 minutes is plenty of time. You just need to flush the cortisol (stress hormone) from your body. Throw in a couple of screams/shouts while you’re at it. The vocal release helps you release stuck emotions and re-settle your system.
Do a sensitivity check-in: are you hungry or tired? Both of those things can cause a stress response. If you’re hungry, eat something. If you’re tired, take a nap. If you’re thirsty, drink something. Tending to your body’s most basic needs keeps it satiated and happy, which means you have the capacity to do hard things.
Now you’re at the courage part. The part where you actually have the capacity you need to address that legal thing.
Once here, I want you to remind yourself of this: it’s okay to be a beginner.
If you have your own business, then you know that being a beginner over and over again is the most fun part and also the worst part of entrepreneurship. So take some of the pressure off of yourself. You might not get it all right away. It may take some time. But you can become legalese fluent over time. You will get a handle on the legal side of your business with time. You just have to be consistent and keep at it.
If you need help or a starting point, that’s what I’m here for. You got this.