THE KEY TO SUCCESS:
really feel that I came out of my case with everything that I needed to make my family happy. I am so thankful that I had Joseph to take the lead on a case that went from a disaster to a happy ending. I highly recommend him for your parentage-related case.” – Cody “My case was challenging in that I had been married a relatively short amount of time (less than five years) and was willing to leave my ex- wife with some money to help her land on her feet. “Joe was sympathetic to my case right away and understood my own emotional struggle with the process. He was very upfront about my options and helped to find a solution in which my ex-wife received a fair settlement without me giving up too much. At the same time, he always said he’d be willing to fight the settlement if I so chose and was honest about what costs that fight would entail. “I would definitely recommend Joe to anyone going through the process. He was always professional and prompt in his communication and made a tough process more manageable.” –Satisfied Client IDENTIFY SOURCES Are there certain triggers — people, activities, habits — that always cause you to feel a certain way? Which of those are propelling you to achieve your goals, and which are hampering that progress? Make a list of everything that’s causing you stress — going to your doctor’s appointment, talking to your financial planner, calling back your mom — and mark a specific day and time that week to review your list. Chances are, when you come back to it, you’ll find that most of the items on the list weren’t really worth worrying about. For every item that’s still a source of stress, make an action plan for how and when you’ll resolve it. For those worries that can be dealt with immediately, note how much satisfaction you get from taking care of them. mentality. Many think, “I feel great today, so I’m going to get all my work done!” Or, “I’m tired today, so I’m going to put all my work off for tomorrow.” The problem is that this mentality is not sustainable. If you track your emotions, you’ll understand how they influence your behavior. For example, if you notice that you feel a certain emotion during afternoon meetings, see if you can shift them to the morning. LET YOUR SCHEDULE HONOR YOUR FEELINGS Wiest points out that people often have an all-or-nothing Implement these strategies today and allow your emotions to nurture rather than restrict your goals.
Emotional Intelligence
Feelings are a good thing. Companies want to hire people who have high emotional intelligence, and emotions are what differentiates you from an electronic device that can even mimic your voice. But what happens when your feelings overwhelm you? Anyone who’s awoken in the middle of the night with a racing heart and panicked thoughts can relate to this. And it may be what’s keeping you from achieving your goals. Brianna Wiest, who writes about emotional intelligence, suggests that by organizing our emotions, we can use them to reach our goals. By using aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy and learning to organize your emotions to reach your goals, you can prevent them from controlling you. As Wiest says, you’ll learn “where they come from, whether or not they serve you, and what they are trying to tell you.” TRACK YOUR FEELINGS Start by making this part of your morning routine: When you wake up, acknowledge how you are feeling. If it helps, write down a bulleted list of your feelings. Use “I feel” statements. You might write, “I feel anxious about everything I have to get done today,” or, “I feel happy that I get to work on the new project today.”
Hear What Our Clients Are Saying CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“I retained Mr. Emmerth for my divorce and he was GREAT. He talked me through everything and made sure I understood what I was reading. I really felt like he was looking out
for me. I am very pleased with my settlement. When things were not going so well, he made me feel at ease. He also talks to you and not at you. I am very happy with the staff as well. They are really great!” –Julie “Joseph was helpful and professional from the first phone call to the last email. My parentage case was less than enjoyable and, at times, quite a headache. He handled every annoyance that came around with great candor and care. Joseph never misguided me. Even if the result was not exactly what I wanted (because let’s be honest; we want everything to go exactly our way, regardless of the law), he made sure I had no false expectations and explained to me the reasoning behind everything. Joseph was very understanding of my situation and helped me according to my needs. At the end of it all, I
2 www.stglawfirm.com
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog