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The New Mexico Well-Being Committee, 2021 and Beyond
n 2020, the State Bar of New Mexico Board of Bar Commissioners established the New Mexico Well-Being Committee. The name says it all! Unsurprisingly the New Mexico Well-Being Committee, which consists of key stakeholders from the legal community, is focused on well-being in the legal community. This includes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, and struggles. In 2021, the Committee worked on several important initiatives including: (1) the launch of the Committeeâs âWhat a Healthy Lawyer Looks Likeâ campaign, a monthly series of articles and podcasts devoted to well-being topics; (2) a virtual 5K in partnership with the State Bar of New Mexico Young Lawyers Division; (3) a CLE Well Talks event featuring national speakers elaborating on different aspects of well-being in New Mexico and in the Nation; (4) the addition of important online resources for those members of the legal community seeking more well-being information or support; (5) supported the presentation by Cory Muscara, a featured speaker at the 2021 State Bar Annual Meeting and Member Appreciation Day, on meditation, working with discomfort, and demystifying intuition; (6) the creation and distribution of a well-being survey for members of the legal community; and (7) launched the first Judicial Wellness Program that focuses on the health and well-being of all of New Mexicoâs judges.
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Bar Bulletin - December 8, 2021 - Volume 60, No. 23
In this last year, through the Committeeâs work and the generous contributions of many volunteers from the legal community1, we learned about the benefits and challenges of practicing law using virtual platforms, the physical, emotional, and mental toll of incivility and unprofessionalism, and how lawyers and judges are at risk of something known as âcompassion fatigueâ or âsecondary traumaâ resulting from working in a profession where they are called upon to witness and address othersâ traumatic life events. We also learned about the benefits of sleep, exercise, connection, and hobbies. We talked about the importance of self-care, setting boundaries, and committing to taking time for ourselves away from work and technology to refresh and recharge. We explored how fear plays a role in our decisions and received tips on how to manage that fear. We explored the importance of seeking help, the stigma that often prevents us from doing so, and ways to overcome that stigma. And we heard and read about the illusive concept of happiness, including what it means to be happy, or at least âsort of happyâ in law school. If you missed any of the podcasts over this past year, you can find them at https://www.sbnm.org/Leadership/Committees/NM-WellBeing-Committee/Legal-Well-Being-In-Action-Podcast/ Episode-Library. You can find the related articles at https:// www.sbnm.org/Leadership/Committees/NM-Well-BeingCommittee/What-a-Healthy-Lawyer-Looks-Like. The Committee encourages you to listen to/read any or all.
