Lawyers face challenges unlike those found in many other professions. The combination of long hours, time away from family, pressure to find (and keep) clients, stress, and the ever-present focus on the bottom line does not leave much room for balance or a general sense of well-being. This article analyzes why the journey into the legal profession can be difficult and provides research-based solutions to move toward a culture of positive professionalism. The goal is not to present a jaded, self-help view of how to fix the unhappy masses, but rather, to present an empirical, research-based framework to initiate a new conversation within the legal profession. The science of well-being is formally known as the field of positive psychology. Positive psychology is the scientific study of the conditions and processes that contribute to flourishing and optimal performance in individuals and organizations. For the past half-century, psychological research focused almost exclusively on mental illness and how to treat it. As a result, little attention was paid to the study of what causes people, communities, and businesses to thrive and prosper. While positive psychology research focuses on well-being, it is intended to supplement, not replace, traditional psychological research.Read MOre
