Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Monique Sadarangani. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Monique, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
When I started my own law practice in trusts and estates in early 2019, I was still in the process of healing from an illness that almost took my life the prior year. I had been diagnosed with Crohns Disease in 2014, after experiencing a very traumatic and life shattering event, and after being placed on medications, and in remission and off medication during my pregnancy and a period thereafter, the symptoms returned. In 2018, I was 80 pounds, unable to stabilize, and my organs and body were literally shutting down on me. I was forced to take a leave of absence from work, yoga, fitness…from life. In those months near death, I looked inward and turned to meditation and other spiritual means. It was in those moments when I had nothing at all but faith and desire to change my life that I came up with a plan to turn my life around. My desire to create a law firm that was holistic, aimed to help others thrive at all levels, and to secure families through proper planning and comfort in the process is at the heart of what I bring. This desire to help people through their feared discussions, surrounding death and dying of themselves or loved ones, began when I was five years old when I lost my own mother suddenly. I have made it my mission as an adult in this field to create a nurturing environment where people feel comfortable speaking openly about their planning needs, while I also provide additional resources to help them in their own journey.
Monique, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I grew up in a small town in Connecticut, raised by my Indian father. My mother passed away very suddenly from an aneurysm when I was five years old. My father, unequipped emotionally or mentally to raise three young girls alone, was extremely overwhelmed, and while our basic needs were met, he never thought of instilling the culture, language, and tradition of my Indian heritage. Upon turning 18 and graduating high school, I left alone to attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where I double majored in psychology and religion. I chose to go to Hawaii because, while I had never visited prior to moving there, I wanted to experience a new culture, way of living, and immerse myself in something different. I was not disappointed. I felt understood and secure for the first time in my life. I was exposed during this time to learning Hindi, studied a variety of Asian religions, visited temples, and learned of the Polynesian and Hawaiian cultures.
Upon graduation, I decided to further my education in religious studies, and I was awarded a scholarship for the Masters program in Asian Religious Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. My goal during this time was to teach as a professor, and I taught classes while obtaining my degree while serving as a graduate assistant in the department. My desire to be a professor stemmed from my love of learning and awakening the mind to new experiences, ideas, and ways of thinking. I wanted to share this joy with others, and I knew that educating minds was the method to best achieve this goal. However, my life changed course, and rather than continuing on to a doctorate program, I continued with my career in student affairs at the university, which eventually led me to relocate back to New England and Massachusetts.
Since 2019, I have been running my own solo practice in trusts and estates. I love what I do, and I am constantly finding new ways to impart knowledge, mentor, and help drive success into other young professionals.
My specific background of being a female minority in the field of law provides me a first hand experience of how difficult it can be in this profession. My journey and story of how I overcame these “obstacles” in the industry is something that I can share with others, and provide insight in a very personal way. I work currently to mentor other females going out on their own and attempt to empower them to take the steps necessary to succeed and have confidence in themselves and their abilities.
In addition to my educational, legal, and spiritual background, I also am a certified yoga instructor. I know that my diverse and out of the box background and approach to the legal profession sets me apart from others in this field. I work with clients and other professional on a human level and take a holistic approach to the legal practice.
I am currently working to expand my practice by bringing more solid foundational aspects to combine my holistic approach. In the works this year are my upcoming book on my own healing and growth memoir. I am also working on retreats, as well.
My book is about sharing my story, but also I wanted others to feel my struggles, one after another, and know that life gets better with the proper mindset. I wanted them to see just how bad things can get in someone’s life, and how you can recover still…and not just recover, but excel to great heights. I wanted them to see how you can fail over and over at love, and then suddenly those failures all make sense because you find true love from the darkness of your heart.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I believe my entire life is a story of resilience. From my losing my mother at an early age, to leaving across the country not knowing anyone or ever visiting to start a new life…to traveling the world and gaining new skills and experiences. The most notable is the decision I made to start my own law practice. To leave a firm and go on my own because I felt that was best for me, my health, my spirituality, my family, and my soul. I started my firm in over $50,000 of debt, no clients, and no support. I started when I was not in full health. I started with a young child. I started with less than nothing, but I had all the faith and desire that I would succeed.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Growing up, I was taught many lessons from my elders and society. We are all taught things as children and young adults, and society continues to feed us things: how to behave, what professions are okay, what we can and cannot do in life. As a child, I was very artistic, musical, and a dancer. I was attracted to the arts, and I desperately wanted a career that allowed me to pursue these areas. However, I was discouraged to pursue a career in this area because I was taught here was no money in it, and that it was not practical. I have come to learn that when you do what you are passionate about, money always comes. You are supported through your passions. I also learned that you can always reinvent yourself and change paths to do what you love. I have in the last few years been able to start taking music lessons again, and I am incorporating my passions into my practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.estateandfamilylawyer.com
- Instagram: estatefamilylaw
- Facebook: Monique M. Sadarangani PLLC
- Linkedin: Monique Sadarangani
Image Credits
Rebecca Corliss Photography