7 Things I have learnt in the last year

As we close in on Kensington Parry’s first birthday, this time it's personal…. 7 things that I have discovered in the last year.

1. Moving roles when you are happy and comfortable is sometimes necessary to get what you need out of life. Before I founded Kensington Parry, I had left a role I had been in for more than 10 years. It was a very difficult decision to make and one that put me right outside of my comfort zone.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one person can do everything. Nor be all things for all people. Ask for what you need when you need it. Humans by and large like to be helpful.

3. Know when to push yourself.... and know when you need to take time out to recharge, refocus and regroup. Don’t be afraid to take charge of your career when you need to and know that it is also ok to step back and retreat when things are challenging. Life is a marathon not a sprint and you need to take care of yourself, so you can go the distance.

4. Every plan and every goal must start with action. Be it opening a company, changing jobs or booking a holiday. Kensington Parry has been a lifetime in the making. It was founded in my spare room. The opening wasn’t grand, but it was a start. In the beginning, the days were very long but the sense of accomplishment, next level. Now I know that not everyone reading this will go on and start a business but many of you will start a new job at some point in your career. Know that the first step is often the hardest and that step can be calling someone like me…. I have lived that moment.

5. You are never too old to learn something new. I have never learnt so much in such a short period. Pushing myself and learning new skills is a wonderful thing, I highly recommend it.

6. Indulge yourself and glance back every now and then and see how far you've come. Be proud, you should be!

7. Finally, if I could shout anything from the rooftops it would be this- “you are good enough and then some”. You can do anything you set your mind to with the right amount of application. What held me back for a time was a sense that somehow, I wasn't good enough to run my own company. This self- doubt and lack of confidence was real but unfounded. I have read that many other people, often other talented and capable women feel this way and let their own feelings about themselves effect the decisions they make about their careers. Nothing I say will ever change how you feel about you... but do know that the feelings that you have about yourself may be very different to how you are perceived by everyone else.

I am enormously proud of Kensington Parry’s achievements in this our very first year. I have to pinch myself regularly that I get to do what I love with people that I love, solving problems for clients that I love, it is the best feeling. For help finding the perfect role that you can love, or for information on the legal market, salaries or anything else, contact me directly at kparry@kensingtonparry.com or reach out to any member of our all-star team.