What Do You Really Want? Discovering Alignment in Your Legal Career
As female lawyers, we often follow a path laid out for us from the moment we graduate from law school. We’re good soldiers—we understand the assignment, we work hard, and we achieve success. But what happens when we reach that point and realize it doesn’t feel right? What happens when the life we’ve built doesn’t align with what we truly want?
In this week’s episode of the Powerhouse Lawyers podcast, we dive deep into this pivotal question: What do I really want?
The Unexpected Crossroads
Many women in law find themselves at an unexpected crossroads. They’ve achieved what they thought they wanted, only to look around and feel a profound sense of discontent. The job, the title, the achievements—none of it feels as fulfilling as they imagined. This can be a scary place to be, especially when it seems like everyone else is thriving. But the real issue isn’t the job or the circumstances; it’s that we rarely stop to ask ourselves what we genuinely want, in this season of our lives, based on our current priorities and values.
The Power of Letting Go, Letting In, and Letting Be
My guest this week, Nora Pleasant, introduces us to a powerful process she calls Letting Go, Letting In, and Letting Be. This three-step approach is about releasing the expectations and linear paths we thought we had to follow, allowing new desires and opportunities to enter our lives, and finally, accepting and being at peace with where we are right now.
- Letting Go: This is about releasing the rigid ideas of how our careers and lives should look. It’s about understanding that what worked for us in the past may no longer serve us now.
- Letting In: Once we’ve let go, we make room for what truly matters to us. This step is about embracing the changes that align with our current values and what feels good to us, even if it means making small, incremental changes.
- Letting Be: Finally, we need to accept the season we are in, understanding that we don’t have control over every outcome. What we can control is how we show up every day, with appreciation for where we are right now.
Nora Pleasant’s Inspiring Journey
Nora’s own career journey is nothing short of inspiring. She started as a sex crimes prosecutor in the Brooklyn DA’s office—an incredibly challenging and fulfilling role that ignited her passion for helping women. She later became a partner at a boutique litigation firm, all while working a part-time schedule, which was groundbreaking at the time. But despite her success, Nora realized that her path no longer aligned with what she truly wanted. She eventually left her partnership to create Let Solutions, a contract legal staffing company, and later founded Be Still and Soar, a coaching program focused on helping women avoid burnout and find peace, purpose, and presence in their lives.
Embracing Your Season and Asking the Right Questions
Nora’s story is a reminder that life is not linear, and it’s okay to change course. If you’re feeling out of alignment, it’s time to ask yourself the tough questions: What do I really want? What feels good to me now? And most importantly, give yourself permission to let go of the old, let in the new, and let things be as they are.
Whether you’re a lawyer questioning your current path or someone seeking greater alignment in your life, this episode offers valuable insights and practical steps to help you find clarity and fulfillment.
Connect with Nora
Instagram: @thenoraplesent
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nora-plesent-4814b89/
Website: https://www.noraplesent.com/
