The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief

A Practical, Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Compassion

“People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Welcome (back) to the Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief! Each week, I share insights and practical strategies to help us cultivate well-being and thrive — both personally and professionally. Live well! Lawyer well!

This week we are looking at Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Kristin Neff. With self-compassion, we give ourselves the same kindness and support we’d give to a good friend.

Quick orientation — the three building blocks

Neff’s research frames self-compassion with three components. Think of these as the “what” you’re training:

1. Self-kindness — respond to yourself with warmth instead of criticism.
2. Common humanity — remember that struggle and failure are part of being human, not a personal defect.
3. Mindful presence — notice painful thoughts and feelings without exaggerating them or pretending they don’t exist.

Keep these three in mind as you practice the steps below.

1) The 3-line practice (use in…