
Though I doubt that many of you noticed I was gone, I've taken almost a month and a half off from blogging. I've been working on the next LexThink event (though not enough -- more on that later), turned 40 and traveled to London (twice) and Paris to facilitate a few sessions for XPLANE.
While I've been working, eating and drinking my way through Europe, a few things hit me. Call it a mid-life crisis, or just a wake-up call, but while I have a good life, an incredible daughter, and the support of great people around me, I realized that I'm not happy.
Just Almost Happy.
I've lead much of my life in this perpetual state of what I'll call "Almost Happiness" that has (until this summer) been more than enough. However, taking my daughter to her first day of kindergarten and meeting a handful of people here and abroad who possess an incredible passion for their work and a single-minded belief that they're going to change the world has persuaded me to step back, take a look at my priorities and decide that Almost Happy isn't enough.
I'm rejecting Almost Happy. I'm saying "Close Enough" isn't anymore. I'm tired of leaving so many opportunities waiting at the door until they grow tired of knocking and decide to move on down the block. I'm inspired to find my One Thing to make the world better.
I resolve to:
- Follow my passions, honor my principles and strive to create something new every single day.
- Nurture my intelligence, creativity, passion and wit, and judge my life by the things I experience and not the things I possess.
- Refuse to let one day go by without realizing that my daughter is my purpose in life, and to build my life for her, not around her.
- Focus on delivering “amazing” and “way beyond ordinary” in everything I chose to do.
- Choose my clients as carefully as friends, knowing that I work best when they are one in the same.
I hope you'll come along for the ride!
Can't wait to see where this goes! i feel the same way and hope to gain inspiration from you.
(@keavneylaw on twitter)
Posted by: Margaret | January 05, 2009 at 09:06 AM
AH! This is exactly what I needed someone to confirm for me today: that, no matter how you package it, "almost happy" is still "not happy."
Thanks for the affirmation.
Posted by: d. | September 08, 2008 at 08:49 AM
Matt,
Count me in!!!
Posted by: Brett | September 03, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Matt, I've been a regular reader for quite some time now. I'd noticed that this corner of the blogosphere had gone awfully quiet. What a relief to notice that the light's back on. Your writing has long been an inspiration to me as a lawyer-turned-mediator -- it sounds as if the self-discoveries you've made will reinvigorate your writing, and I'm looking forward to the direction you'll be heading in. By the way, as one parent to another, your daughter is sure lucky to have a dad like you.
Best wishes to you, Matt, and thanks for all you do here for readers like me.
Posted by: Diane Levin | September 03, 2008 at 11:23 AM