The Mindfulness Blog

Starting today, I am no longer going to hyphenate the word, "wellbeing" (except when quoting someone else, who does). And I am no longer going to use the word, "wellness" (except when quoting some other misguided soul, who does). And I'm going to be consistent-- hobgoblins and snappy aspersions about little minds (thank you, Ralph Waldo Emerson), aside!

Wellbeing (the spelling used by the Workplace Wellbeing Alliance, of which I am a member) is obviously not hyphenated, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure why it ever would be. Besides, the use of an unnecessary hyphen violates my new Rule #1: Speak plain English.

It turns out that wellbeing is a non-controversial notion and is widely accepted in the business world-- even that slice of the business world that is the legal profession. Just look at the growing popularity of the wellbeing Pledge, which is promoted by the American Bar Association, and has been signed by more than 200 entities connected to the legal profession.

Granted, the Pledge is largely toothless, and details concerning actual efforts undertaken by signatories are yet to be shared in an organized public fashion, but it's a start. And detail will, presumably-- probably, undoubtedly-- be forthcoming at some point in the future.

Speaking plainly, I find the slow-walking of wellbeing to be more than a bit curious. Then again, it took almost 15 years for most of us to finally acknowledge the fact that physical fitness is an important component of both our personal and professional health-- why would things be any different as regards our mental/emotional health (both of which are pillars of wellbeing)?

Of course, I am speaking with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek.
It is downright shameful that our profession doesn't act more immediately-- and proactively-- to address the critical importance of lawyer mental/emotional fitness, in the same way that it has addressed physical fitness.

Lawyer wellbeing is a growing concern that the institutions of our legal profession should publicly accept, embrace and act upon!