The Battle with Change: Are You Fighting Your Own Growth?

You know that uncomfortable feeling when you know you need to make a change in your law practice, but something holds you back?

Maybe you need to raise your rates, have a difficult conversation with a client, or invest in yourself – but you keep putting it off.

Here's the truth:

You're not battling change itself. You're battling your relationship with discomfort.

As lawyers, we're trained to analyze, evaluate risks, and make careful decisions. But this analytical mindset often keeps us stuck in a cycle of overthinking and inaction.

Let me share something I learned the hard way: Change will happen whether you struggle against it or flow with it. The only choice you have is how hard you want to make it on yourself.

Keep reading to learn the signs you're battling change and how to stop struggling.

Signs You're Battling Change:

• You put off decisions, hoping things will "just work out"
• You find yourself in endless internal debates about simple choices
• You know what you need to do, but you're waiting to feel "ready" before you take action
• You stay in relationships that don't serve you because change feels scary
• You continue to say "yes" to commitments you don't want because you dread what the other person will think if you say "no"

Here's the fundamental truth most people miss:

It's not about being ready to change. It's about being committed to being willing to change.

Willing to feel uncomfortable.

Willing to feel vulnerable.

Willing to make mistakes.

Willing to grow.

Think about a caterpillar. One day it's inching along minding its own business. Then suddenly it has an urge to take root and create a cocoon around itself.

Once inside the cocoon, her body literally turns inside out and into a gelatinous goo only to re-form into her new form: a butterfly.

What if you could approach change the same way?

Instead of fighting every step, what if you could simply notice the discomfort and allow yourself to go through the process instead of fighting it?

3 Powerful Mindset Shifts to Allow the Process of Change Instead of Fighting It:

There are three common misconceptions lawyers have about change.

I've had these misconceptions at one point or another in my life too, so if you have them, know that they're normal.

The first is that you need to "feel ready" to change.

The truth is, you'll never feel 100% ready.

It's supposed to feel uncomfortable when you're doing something different.

It's new.

Untested.

Know that there's no such thing as "feeling ready."

There's only the willingness to take the next step forward.

Second, you won't necessarily "feel good" about the change you envision for yourself.

When I envision a change for myself, my stomach turns.

That's because I'm imagining my future self, and that's a different version of me.

She's learned new skills and has taken on different challenges.

She's evolved -- just like the caterpillar.

Doing anything new won't necessarily feel good, so don't use that aas your rubric as to when to take action.

If anything, use it to show you that is the direction you need to go to create the growth you envision for yourself.

Third, we tend to believe that we need to mitigate all risks before we take action.

This makes sense since as lawyers we're taught to look at cases from every angle to ensure that our cases are airtight.

When it comes to changing yourself, your business and your life, we need to approach them with a different mindset.

Instead of questioning whether you'll fail, expect it.

You're supposed to fail.

Without failure, you have no way to improve.

But the way our society has trained us to view failures is that they're "bad" and that if we fail, we're "bad."

This prevents amazing people from going out and changing the world for the better.

Instead of battling change by fearing failure, lean into it.

Allow yourself to feel the fear, and take one small action in the direction you want to go. Then the next.

Get used to feeling the fear and taking action. You'll grow your confidence to take bolder actions along the way.

Your Turn to Choose

Right now, you may be at a crossroads.

You can keep battling change, making everything harder than it needs to be. Or you can choose to allow the transformation, knowing that discomfort is part of the process.

Ask yourself:

• What changes have I been fighting?
• What would become possible if I stopped resisting?
• What's the real cost of staying where I am?

Remember, you're not meant to stay a caterpillar forever. You're meant for something bigger – a more fulfilling practice, deeper relationships, and a greater impact.

The question isn't whether you should change. The question is: How long do you want to keep struggling before you allow yourself to transform?

What's your experience with change? Share in the comments below – I'd love to hear your story.

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Dina

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How Dina Can Help You

Dina Cataldo is a leading legal industry expert, master certified coach, speaker, and host of the popular podcast “Be a Better Lawyer.”

She helps lawyers take control of their lives and law practices by helping them remove obstacles to growth and create time freedom and peace. These skills allow lawyers to build their practices with more ease than they ever imagined possible.

Dina's insights and advice have been featured on various prominent platforms. She's spoken at the Alabama State Bar Annual Meeting, on podcasts like “Law Firm Autopilot” and “Maximum Lawyer Podcast,” and more.

Through her coaching and speaking, Dina has positively impacted the lives of thousands of lawyers, helping them manage their time, overcome overwhelm, boost self-confidence, and find fulfillment in their legal careers.

Her empathetic and strategic approach has made her a sought-after coach among partners, solo practitioners, and boutique firm owners.

Dina Cataldo is a trailblazer in the legal industry, and she continues to inspire and empower big hearted female lawyers, to achieve professional success and personal fulfillment.

To book a call with her to learn more about working with her one-on-one to build your practice with ease instead of overwhelm, go to dinacataldo.com/strategysession.