Groundhog Day is coming up this month, and although the visibility of Phil’s shadow doesn’t have much impact on the weather out here in California, the holiday always makes me a bit nostalgic for the Bill Murray movie of the same name. “Groundhog Day” came out in 1993, back when I was in law school, and my friends and I piled into our local theater to see it. I’ve always been a Bill Murray fan, so it’s no surprise I loved the movie.
The flick was entertaining from start to finish, but looking back I definitely see it as more of a personal growth movie than a comedy. I think my biggest takeaway, then and now, is that if you end up living the same day over and over again, it’s important to make the most of it.
That idea really resonates with me because lately I’ve been trying to change my default mindset. I’m working on approaching new people and experiences with more empathy and positivity than I did before. In the past, when people didn’t react the way I wanted or situations didn’t go my way, I’d get frustrated and upset, but I’ve realized that negativity doesn’t help anyone. By shifting my mindset, I’m hoping to move forward every day in a positive way and be the best father, lawyer, and person I can be.
Finding and holding onto positivity can be a real challenge. It’s easy to get stuck in a negative place mentally and keep repeating yourself, just like Bill Murray waking up to “I Got You Babe” on the radio over and over. Sometimes that rut can be triggered by something, and in my line of work, I see a lot of people stuck in a negative place because they’re facing foreclosure. Guilt and fear of change can both be paralyzing and keep you from moving forward and seeking help.
Personally, I firmly believe that in this kind of situation, the worst thing you can do is do nothing. Taking action to address the problem when you’re facing a foreclosure will always lead you somewhere better, as long as you’re working with a lawyer who has your best interest heart. That said, the reality is that not everyone is ready to be helped. The saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,” might as well have been coined by foreclosure lawyers. I think about it all the time when people come to me looking for immediate fixes to long-term problems, and I try to explain that ultimately, the best route to take is the tough one.
It’s a hard sell, because it means climbing out of that mindset rut. Sometimes, by explaining the situation clearly and laying out the benefits of taking action, we can help people leave their old mindset behind and move forward. Other times, our solution isn’t what they’re looking for, or they go and find another lawyer who will tell them what they want to hear. When the latter happens, it’s disappointing, but I think it’s more important that we’re honest with our clients, even if it means losing a few.
Ultimately, our goal is to help everyone who walks through our doors close the dark chapter of their lives that they’re in and move forward into a new and happier one. If you feel stuck in a negative mindset rut, consider giving my firm a call. I’ve changed my own mindset, and I might be able to help change yours! And I promise, the future is brighter than the present. When you’re ready, you can reach me at 510-982-3001 to schedule a free consultation.