Hi 2020 Phil,
Its me - 2021 Phil! I'm like you, but from the future. A year older, a year wiser, and a lot heavier!! (.....sorry about that, I really am!)
Why am I writing to you? Well, its been 1 year since you took the decision to create this platform. 1 year since the world went on hold. 1 year since life was altered in a way that we haven't seen to this extent in recent memory.
So I guess first things first - how are you doing?
I know you lost your job a few days ago. Redundancy, kick in the teeth, I know.
I know I can say this with hindsight, but was it really all that bad that you lost your job, all things considered? I mean, you weren't happy, you weren't getting along with your colleagues (yes I know what was happening...), and you were discovering that perhaps property litigation wasn't your calling. Whilst being let go for something not your fault hurts, all these things here aren't bad reasons to get away after all.
Perspective is a wonderful thing, but I know that to gain it you have to experience the bad first.
Second, I know that what we're going through right now is keeping you from some of the most important people to you. You've got your family with you, which is great - count your blessings there as there are others who sadly aren't so lucky.
But know that your friends are also in this same storm, and they have their own priorities as well, remember? Be it children, unsocial working hours, you name it. Don't forget to check in with them regularly. Send them a quick voice note or a few text messages. Hell, even a funny meme or two! Laughter is nourishment for the soul!
Thirdly, as twisted as this may sound, perhaps this is exactly what you needed - a good lockdown! Time away from work and time to yourself to be in your own little bubble (that word will get used a lot in the coming 12 months, believe me!) so that you can really think about what you want out of your life and your career.
Because let's be honest, for a few years now you've been attacking your career path head on pretty much non-stop. Work, study, the right training opportunity, you've been working so hard to get the right balance and the right workplace. But you've neglected to really shine a light on what you REALLY want out of your work and life. So perhaps now is a good time to really step back and think about it.
For instance, do you really want to work at a firm with a massive name and flashy offices and big-name clients like Apple or Google or Amazon?
Or do you want to work with interesting people that make your life happier and more fulfilled and who support you in what you're doing, be it work, life, family, extracurricular activities, and who have real faith in you and who truly value your perspective, your input, and who want you to be you?
Maybe the real value in work isn't in the name of the employer, but the names of the people you work with and that you can remember each and every one and can pinpoint what makes each of them so interesting and so unique. Being able to have that "work family" around you who make you laugh, who lift you up, who cover your cracks in your knowledge or awareness, and who come to you for advice about the things that you know much more about than they do. Maybe that's what you need? But I guess you'll figure that out soon enough.
So yes, losing your job hurt and everything else grinding to a halt has been a shock and a half! But this is just what you need - some stillness so that you can deep dive into what you really want. Its just a case of being ok with stillness for a little while, and being ok with the fact that you don't have to be going a million miles an hour at all times. That peacefulness can do wonders, trust me.
And for crying out loud, remember to sleep!!!
Now let's have a look at what you've created here...
1 year ago today, you created The Neurodivergent Lawyer!
Your digital extension of yourself and a space to share your perspectives with the online legal community. 1 year ago today, you wrote a post introducing yourself to what would become a new community and, in some cases, a new family!
What started as a cute idea based on what you saw being done by others who you believed were really getting ahead because "they had a podcast/blog/fancy Insta" actually turned out to be a very interesting platform to a number of members of the community and the profession.
And since creating it, you've increased your online presence exponentially, made many new friendships and connections, and gained a great purpose through discovering that you really do have a lot to offer and that you have a voice that deserves to be heard!
Even some of the big-name "influencers" that you looked at and thought they're doing well for themselves are interested in what you have to say and your perspective on the industry and beyond.
So what you're doing right now, keep doing it! You'll grow over time, you'll get into your rhythm of writing interesting and captivating articles, and you'll expand your knowledge whilst doing it. This is such a positive right here.
Yes, it can be hard to think about what to do next, but I've found that by letting things come naturally, whether they're comments on some of your work and posts or whether they are experiences you've had, they can make the best topic of conversation when you look at it the right way.
By doing this, you've gone out of your comfort zone, for sure! Previously, remember you said that you would be quite happy to quietly change the world and that you didn't need huge recognition? Well, you can still do that whilst at the same time sharing yourself and your experiences and perspectives with the wider community.
Might seem scary, but how many do you really think will actively go out of their way to shit all over everything that you say? And how many do you really think might be thankful for the fact that they've come across you?
Perhaps your perspective can help to further educate someone, or change someone's mind, or disarm an argument, and these folks will come away feeling all the better for it!
Perhaps they'll come away and think "I'm glad I got in touch with Phil, his way of thinking really helped and I feel I'm more switched on about this!"
Without spoiling anything, its more likely that you'll find so many more people who think that, rather than people who think "this guy is full of crap!"
You'll find a wonderful community because you will introduce yourself to it! Something that you may not find if you decide to just sit back and be single-minded in trying to get back into a job, especially during a pandemic and a recession where jobs are worth their weight in gold.
The most interesting stories come because someone took a leap. Do you think anyone would be where they are right now had they not make the decision to dive straight in?
I'm trying desperately not to spoil things for you here, I promise! But one of the best things that will happen to you is that you'll meet a handful of people in really high positions in their companies, we're talking CEOs, MDs, Founders, firm owners, as well as a handful of aspiring lawyers from a number of events that will come around, all beautiful souls who will welcome you into their world with open arms and support and encourage you to be the best version of yourself! They will make time for you if you ask, they will share their knowledge and wisdom if you ask, and they will be grateful that you approached them and asked them to share. Trust me, often one of the biggest compliments you can pay to someone is to approach them and ask to learn from them, about their experiences or to gain knowledge from them!
They will also ask to learn from your experiences as they feel they can become better because of you, whether it is a better supervisor, a better colleague, a better ally, a better friend, or a better person. Think about it - you could help someone be better. How rewarding and fulfilling would that be!
And maybe one of those firm owners might think to themselves "I really want to employ this guy, he's brilliant!"
............................... maybe 😉
So when you read this back, here are some things to remember...
1 - Don't be afraid to go of your comfort zone - take advantage of opportunities that you come across, as you might find something brilliant in amongst it! And if you can't see one, make one!
2 - Think long and hard about what you really want out of work and out of life - your self is the most important thing in your life and your career, and its important that you enjoy what you do and feel satisfied and fulfilled in it!
3 - No matter what it is you do going forward, remember to always look after yourself. You're not responsible for the rest of the world, so don't feel like you have to carry the weight of it on your shoulders. Take care of your body, take care of your mind, nourish yourself, indulge in what makes you happy, and enjoy the upcoming year!
I'll end with this .....
You came out as The Neurodivergent Lawyer on this day. You introduced yourself to the world and the legal profession as your real self. You've taken off the mask and embraced who you are.
And take it from me here in 2021 ....... your life will change for the better!
Now go make something beautiful with your platform, you legend!!!
Love you matey!
2021 Phil
PS: go easy on the baking, alright! 🤣🤣
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