Today, I found myself thinking of advice I give to new attorneys I mentor and realized its practicability in my own life. By day, I represent parents and children when the state removes kids from parents because of abuse or neglect. These types of cases rarely turn on legal technicalities. Rather, the ability of parents to regain custody of their children really turns on what they do to eliminate the conditions which led to losing their children. Thus, the advice I give to new attorneys is simple – you should not be working harder than your client.
I thought about this today and realized its meaning in my own life. No matter how much I want something for someone I love, I can’t make it happen by myself. We each have to decide. We have to decide to let go of the excuses which keep us from our own potential. We have to decide to tear down the walls which keep us from enjoying life. We have to imagine a different life and take any step, no matter how small, towards making it happen. We have to decide we are worth it.
If we don’t, it isn’t our circumstances which are keeping us from happiness. We are.