The Mindfulness Blog

Lest there be any doubt let me declare, unabashedly, that I am a huge fan of the women and men charged with designing, implementing and maintaining lawyer wellbeing initiatives, at their respective law firms-- kudos, hurrahs and applause. And a sincere, "thank you"!

As I re-read my most recent blog posts, it occurs to me that they might be understood to suggest that I am somehow critical of the wellbeing initiatives undertaken to date-- nothing could be further from the truth. Be they titled as Directors, or holders of some other equivalent status, I know that each and every one of the women and men charged with the responsibility of promoting wellbeing are working hard to advance the cause of lawyer wellbeing in their respective firms, and their efforts should be appreciated.

Ditto re: the law firms that have committed to do more than simply sign a wellbeing pledge-- the programs they have sponsored to date are critical to the continuing evolution of wellbeing, as an important personal and business priority. A big tip of the hat, for their forward-thinking commitment to the physical, mental and emotional health of their lawyers and support staff.

But let's face it. Wellbeing in our profession remains a work-in-progress. There are new wrinkles that can-- and should-- be explored and implemented. It's always possible to do better, especially when we're navigating previously uncharted waters. The map may indicate, "there be monsters" but the way to overcome those "monsters" is to explore the waters, be curious and open-minded about them.

Inquire as to whether new ideas might actually support existing initiatives, even if that support may not be obvious, at first. It's still early in the wellbeing game and we're certainly learning as we go, but by all means, let's go. Let's continue to push the parameters of the proverbial box, to advance the cause of lawyer wellbeing.

Paraphrasing the introduction to the timeless Star Trek show, let's boldly take the legal profession where it has never been, before!