When people ask about the results of WILL members, I share stories of women who have gone in-house, start their own businesses and I proudly speak about the one who is now a health policy director for a U.S. Senator.

A lot of the results are subtler, and no less important.

They are about the day-to-day incremental wins.About putting YOUR life and family first, above all the “should” above your firm.

For example, last year I invited WILL member Gayle to redo the “Ideal Day” exercise.

She focused on how she wanted her Christmas-New Year’s week to be.

She described in detail – friends come over for dinner.  She’s wearing a cozy sweater.

She spends the afternoon baking chocolate chip and sugar cookies with her daughter.

Guess what?  It ALL happened.

This is a HUGE win.  What would she remember if she just worked, trying to bill more hours?

What would her daughter remember?

Now they have their memory of being together in the kitchen, the warmth, the chocolate chip cookies. 

I’ve learned over and over a few things from my work…

Intentions pull us forward to the future we want to create.

We act more quickly, focusing on what we want to say yes to.  Saying no becomes easier.

These decisions are what make up our days.  Our days make up our lives.

When Gayle reported that she indeed took the week off and baked cookies with her daughter, my eyes filled with tears.

These are some of the other results WILL members have reported… 

• Dancing in the kitchen with the kids to Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” before preschool drop off.
• Taking her first vacation in a year to Italy (and not working during it!).
• Enrolling in an online creative writing class.
• Accompanying a daughter to violin camp.
• Responding to an email that’s been sitting in your inbox for months that sounds like it could lead to a new job opportunity.

When you build on the successful experience of saying YES to yourself, you strengthen your ability to say NO to working on the weekend, taking a new project at 6 pm on a Friday night or firm life.

Living into your intentions is no small feat. Here’s a way you can get started right now…

Your opportunity this week:

• Get a piece of paper or journal.
• Respond to these questions:
  • What do I want my Christmas/New Year’s week to IDEALLY look like?
  • If I could have it any way I wanted – free from work or family obligations, what would I do?
  • Who would I be with?  What would it feel like?
• If your inner critic acts up envision muting it when it says things like, “You can’t.  It will never happen.”
• Now look at your responses.
• Circle one or two things that make your heart sing, that you REALLY want to do.
• What do you need to make that happen?Plan it out.Do it.

If you want to leave (big) law to…

• bake chocolate chip cookies…
• pick your kid up from school
• figure out what else you could do that doesn’t drain your soul

If you believe you:

• could never do it
• are too stuck and dug in
• don’t know where to begin…

I promise you can.

WILL services and community here for you. I am here for you.

Experience immediate relief by engaging and committing to yourself.

Want to make your own way happily out of the law?  Schedule your consultation.

Let’s get cooking. Or baking 😉