033: My Great Life Adventure with Kimberly Lee
When hardworking estate and trust attorney Kimberly Lee took a risky 30-day trip to South Africa in January, it was the busiest time of the year for her practice. But this incredible adventure taught her the power of taking time off and the courage to embrace Not Yet Projects.
In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life®®, Kimberly opens up about her journey, how she prepared for the trip, and how her parents played a significant role in her experience. She also shares the valuable lessons she learned and why taking time off is so important.
Taking time off can be incredibly challenging when setting up “Not Yet Projects.” Kimberly candidly discusses the emotional impact of making herself less important in the context of her business and how her team reacted when she took a block of time off. Steve and Kimberly explore the need for agreed-upon definitions of “emergency” and the importance of taking meaningful trips. They also touch on her great life adventure in South Africa in honor of her father, who unexpectedly passed away in November.
Kimberly’s story of overcoming her mother’s opposition to taking time off and developing this skill is truly inspiring. You’ll hear the powerful story of a leopard in South Africa that learned to hunt on her own, serving as an analogy for the value of looking beyond what has already been done. Steve and Kimberly wrap up the episode by reflecting on poverty and gratitude, acknowledging the privilege we have in the United States and the extraordinary accomplishments we can achieve through hard work and determination.
In this episode, you will hear:
- The importance of taking time off and embracing “Not Yet Projects” for personal growth and mental health
- Preparing your team and business for a planned absence by setting up protocols and addressing potential emergencies
- Gradually increasing the duration of time off to build confidence in the ability to disconnect and delegate responsibilities
- The emotional impact of making yourself less important in the business context and overcoming the fear of taking time off
- Why you should plan for great life adventures and make them meaningful, like Kimberly’s South African trip in honor of her father
- Reflecting on poverty and gratitude, acknowledging the privilege we have and the accomplishments we can achieve through hard work and determination
Follow and Review:
We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple ‘+‘ in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.
Supporting Resources:
Kimberly Lee: Adjunct Practice Advisor & Attorney
Atticus® Group Coaching Programs
Steve Riley
Certified Practice Advisor & Attorney
Steve Riley has coached attorneys for more than 20 years. His one-on-one coaching focuses on a limited number of top producing attorneys committed to taking their practices to new levels of excellence, profit, and personal success. He also presents at group coaching workshops around the country for individual law firms, state bar associations, and other legal organizations.