It’s that time of year again. Many of us reflect on the past year and vow to make changes.
Whether you choose to make your New Year’s resolution public or keep it as a private promise to yourself, I want to share my 2025 resolution to do something I never thought I could do: run.
My 2025 resolution was more about showing that I could overcome the phrase that I had repeated to myself for years: “I can’t run.” That simple phrase felt like a closed door, a final judgment on what I could physically accomplish in my life.
In my reflection, I decided to prove myself wrong. I expected the physical change that running would provide. I never anticipated the profound lessons I would learn about my life and the law.
At first, the goal felt impossible. I could barely run for a minute without stopping to catch my breath. Now, I love to run.
My transformation did not come overnight. It came in tiny steps: I discovered that I would never accomplish the goal of running because it is a “practice.” Running requires consistency. If I did not consistently push myself past physical and mental challenges every day, it would show on race day.
The law is the same way. As an attorney or a judge, you will never “know the law” completely. Until the day that you retire, you must commit to the “practice of law.”
Like running, being an attorney requires consistent preparation to make your knowledge of the law look effortless.
Running requires honesty. On my journey, I had to be honest with myself.
I had to acknowledge my current pace, my limitations and my actual capabilities, not the ones I wished I had.
Many days, my progress looked like failure. I took note and became a student of running to improve my form, cadence and endurance.
As an attorney, you must make an honest assessment of your case. No case is perfect. A great attorney acknowledges the negative aspects of the case. I love to say, you need to “handle your scandal.”
A lawyer’s success isn’t measured by a win or loss but the certainty that the result was obtained ethically and it maintained the dignity of the justice system.
Being committed to zealous representation within the bounds of the law and finding the truth of the case is paramount to reaching a just result.
I learned that being a good runner is not about race day. Instead, it is about those early mornings when I tie up my running shoes and commit to the practice.
The same is true about “good lawyering.” It is not about the spectacular moment in court; it’s about preparation, diligence and a commitment to the truth every single day.
Being a judge is no different. The honor humbles me. I have committed to being prepared, attentive and upholding the rule of law.
So, if you are reading this and doubting your ability to start something new, whether that’s running or just committing to positive change in your life, know that it isn’t about your goal. Instead, it is about the lessons you learn along the way.
I became a runner last year. And in doing so, I became a better judge — more patient, more focused and more committed than ever to the idea that growth is always possible. The limits we see are often only the ones we set for ourselves.
In 2026, what is your resolution?
London Kite is a 4th Judicial Circuit Court judge currently assigned to the Felony Criminal Division in Duval County.