Have you ever felt like a hamster running on a wheel, unsure of the destination and with no end in sight? As if you had no choice in your career, your job, or your life? As if you were afraid of the possibility of what could happen if you decide to get off the wheel that feels so safe to you as it is what you have been doing for a while?
If not, GREAT! You already have, or are on your way to having, one of the most important things it takes to be a happy lawyer. And that is the feeling of freedom of choice.
If you answered yes to my questions, on the other hand, read on and take notes!
I’m sure feeling like a hamster mindlessly running on its wheels is not what anyone signs up for when they go to law school with big dreams of all the big changes it will bring to the world. I know what it feels like when you’re on the figurative “wheel”, stuck in a rut, with no way out and no end in sight. Not questioning why you’re running would make you roughly the same level of intelligence as a hamster. And I know you’re smarter than that, and you’ve probably wondered why you’re running on this “wheel” many times.
Well that’s wonderful. Because once you start wondering why you’re running, you look at where you’re running and why you’re running. If you can’t see a destination you want, or feel like you’re running away because you don’t have a choice, well, that could spark feelings of bitterness in anyone and make the nicer person feel unhappy.
The simple thing we often overlook is that WE HAVE A CHOICE. Every day we make hundreds of choices, many times without even being aware of them, such as deciding whether to take a shower, eat breakfast, check email, etc. Well, many times, we do not make these decisions consciously. We don’t see them as making decisions, because they become routine, and we do them almost automatically, as if it’s our default behavior.
The problem is that lawyers often feel that they are stuck in a rut in their careers and lives, because they feel that they have lost their FREEDOM. They don’t feel like they have freedom because they don’t feel like they have a choice. They feel that they have no choice because they work according to routine and what is comfortable for them. They are operating out of routine and comfort because they are not going the extra mile to make even the smallest decisions in everyday conscious decisions. This is why so many lawyers are so unhappy and feel stuck where they are, but don’t make the necessary changes to bring happiness into their lives and their work.
Lawyers must be aware of each and every decision they make throughout the day and throughout their careers. No one is stuck anywhere – change is always an option, if you just CHOOSE to stop running without thinking about the “wheel” and make a conscious decision to get down and do some soul searching.
REMEMBER THIS: YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE. WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO IS UP TO YOU AND YOU ONLY.
Free yourselves and free your souls.
With love, Namaste.