Midwinter convention balances life, practice
Jan. 29, 1999
There's no doubt that for many lawyers, life is a balancing act.
There are books and seminars on how to maintain balance between all the
elements that compete for our time. But what good is a balanced life if,
in the end, you don't enjoy it?
In his lunchtime "Get a Life" program on Thursday, Jan. 28, Don
Jones, director of the Texas Lawyers' Assistance Program explained how
to enjoy the life you've worked so hard for. Jones makes his second
appearance at this, the State Bar's Midwinter Convention taking place in
Milwaukee Jan. 27-29.
Jones spoke on achieving and maintaining quality of life, the key to
an enjoyable life. He explained that life is all about relationships --
relationships with others, with finances, with work, with hobbies. For a
quality life, you must maintain good relationships. Jones suggested four
basic principles to any quality relationship:
Consciousness: You need to be aware of the
relationship and take responsibility for your part in it.
Commitment: You must be willing to commit to the
relationship and your part in it.
Congruence: Your actions must match your beliefs,
and your behavior must match your emotions. Say what you're going to do
in a given situation, do what you said you'd do, and be willing to face
the consequences if you don't.
Competence: You must be competent in law to practice
law. It should be no different in your relationships. If you are not a
competent parent, spouse, or friend, you must be willing to work and
learn.
Jones went on to explain that the three biggest relationship killers
are worry, fear and guilt. "Some believe guilt is fear of the past, and
worry is fear of the future. By facing these fears -- in many cases,
admitting these fears exist -- you can improve your relationships."
