It seems everyone is talking about transition. The NYSBA dedicated its entire January 2014 Journal to the topic. Jane Pauley, who hosts ‘Life Reimagined TODAY’, was interviewed on the ‘Sunday Morning’ show January 12th about her new book looking at baby boomers in transition. Even Queen Latifah had Kenneth Delmar (great video), an established painter, appear on her show. In his interview he suggested you need to “relax and do your thing” then all good things will happen.

My journey to rezooming the law has been recorded in no less than 3 books on the re-entry of people into the work force, aka – following their dreams. This rezooming column on the Solo Practice University blog has appeared each and every month for 3 years.

All these people are speaking about transition. We at Solo Practice University, especially our Rezooming colleagues, already know about transition and what it takes. All you need to do is follow your dream. Acknowledge that your dream may have been put on hold. Now it is up to you to grasp your re-entry or transition back into the law with gusto. You may not yet fully understand where you are going, but following the passion burning a hole in your soul is a good place to start.

Maybe we put our dream legal job on the back burner because of other opportunities or changes that came along in our lives. However, those dreams we struggled to achieve or left behind have never quite left us. Our dream board is still alive and well in our mind’s eye. When Ken Delmar transitioned from his original medium of art to his current medium, he said he did so with great understanding and trust in the inevitability of his journey. He knew he needed to experience all that had gone before in order to have the confidence to embrace this new path and he achieved greatness. His new paint medium brings a vibrancy of color to his work that was missing in his practice of traditional art. By observing more fully where he cleaned his brushes he developed a whole new way of painting. Now he receives between $1,800.00 and $24,000.00 for his paper towel art.

Jane Pauly’s interview on Sunday Morning explored her new book which highlights the re-invention of baby boomers at retirement. As Jane said, “at 65 they see themselves living another decade or two or three. What are they going to do now?” The secret these baby boomers uncovered is applicable to everyone rezooming or moving on to the next phase of their lives. You can lament and worry about what is coming next or you can decide to gracefully and enthusiastically embrace it, including rezooming your legal career.

You are smarter, wiser and free of the guilt that may have plagued you on your initial foray into the law. Now you can take risks. Recognize and respect who you were then and who you are now. If you rezoom with positive intention, knowing that what ever happens you will learn from it and move forward, you cannot help but be successful.

Poignant in the Jane Pauly interview was the introduction of Jane, by Hilary Clinton. Hilary described Jane as the daughter of a musician. Jane had always described her mother as a homemaker. In reality, Jane realized, her mother was a musician. Every Sunday she sat behind the organ at church and commanded the attention of the entire congregation. Jane just didn’t see it or give it value.

Don’t miss your current value as you look at what you have done with a jaundiced eye. It is valuable. But you need to be the first one to notice it and appreciate the value. Don’t downplay its value as you reenter the law. My time as a PTA vice president led me to realize that my true calling upon my return to the law was not litigation but mediation. I had learned, in spite of myself, during my time as a PTA mom, that enlisting everyone in the solution of a conflict worked much better than taking sides and bullying your way to results.

Move into the next phase of your life with unbridled passion. Rezooming the law can be seen as a hardship or an opportunity. Choose how you perceive it wisely. Success will be completely dependent upon your outlook and how confidently you walk into that great new adventure.

When Jane Pauly was checking out what she might want to do next her youngest son told her to, ”stop wasting her talents and skills thinking; stop thinking and make your move.” Like Jane’s son I am asking you to stop thinking about rezooming—Make Your Move!