Enlisting help is an important step in relaunching your legal career

A carefully chosen group of supporters is critical to your success. You’re excited, motivated, and focused, but you will need someone to turn to when your resolve begins to wane and when self-doubt begins to emerge.

There will be days when you experience a set-back. It could be that you go a few days without finding the time to do anything career-related or it may be that an informational interview takes a negative turn. You will need people to reassure you that: your goals are realistic and attainable, you are employable, you are not crazy for wanting to return to the workplace, and your family will survive the change!

Finding your support group or cheerleaders is not as hard as it sounds. They do not need to be attorneys. You need sympathetic ears and calm reassuring voices. These are the people who will keep you from abandoning your plan and keep you sane. The group can include your husband, mother, sister, best friend, or local shopkeeper. They do not need to be lawyers. Think of the people who cheer on marathon runners. They may never have run a race, but they cheer and shout “come on, you can do it!” Anyone who believes that you can do it qualifies for the job of cheerleader! Their job is not to give you a reality check — that job belongs to your advisors. In keeping with the runners’ analogy, your advisors are the equivalent of running coaches. More on that later.

You will successfully relaunch your legal career if you surround yourself with a positive group of people who will constantly remind you that you can do it!