Veronica Unfiltered

By Veronica

Writing from the in-between spaces.

There are moments when the scales tilt too far.

Not because I have lost my sense of purpose, but because the weight of other people’s urgency starts pressing against my peace.

As a lawyer, I hear stories layered with fear, frustration, and principle. People come seeking help, but sometimes they come wanting rescue. And there is a difference. One requires partnership; the other demands self-abandonment.

I used to blur that line, believing compassion meant saying yes. That is what social work taught me: to listen deeply, hold space, and fix what is broken. Law, though, taught me something social work did not: the cost of carrying someone else’s chaos under my license, my time, and my sanity.

Boundaries are not barriers; they are filters for integrity. Saying no does not mean I do not care. It means I care enough to keep my work honest, sustainable, and effective.

Lately, I have been thinking about balance not as a 50-50 scale but as a moving center. Some days empathy gets more weight. Other days logic takes the lead. The art is knowing which voice to follow when both speak at once.

I have learned that my body tells me before my brain catches up. When a conversation tightens my shoulders or my pulse picks up for the wrong reasons, that is information. That is wisdom whispering, this energy does not belong to you.

So I listen. I breathe. I remember that professionalism is not cold; it is clarity. And clarity is kindness.

Balance is no longer about doing it all; it is about doing what is aligned. It is about honoring the work and myself in the same breath.