Let’s face it—we lawyers have stressful jobs. Between the long hours, client expectations, opposing counsel, numerous deadlines, and emotionally draining facts in some of our cases, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. We know that these types of job stressors can lead to all kinds of unwelcome conditions: compassion fatigue, burnout, anxiety, and even depression. But what would you say if I told you that there’s one simple practice, that when done regularly and consistently, can make a difference in your stress response? That practice is gratitude. It may feel logically disconnected to the practice of law, but studies show that gratitude can improve mental health, emotional well-being, and resilience and in doing so, strengthen your legal practice. If you didn’t learn this in law school, let me lay out the case for you now as to why a gratitude practice is worth your time as a practicing legal professional.
Gratitude has been proven to help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety, which are common maladies suffered by lawyers. A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that practicing gratitude helps people shift their focus from negative emotions to positive ones (Wood et al., 2008). By starting and building a gratitude habit, we can feed our well-being even in the face of the heavy mental load that often comes with our jobs. We may find that as our gratitude practice becomes more consistent, we feel less burdened, lighter, and more positive. In a similar vein, studies have shown that a gratitude habit decreases cortisol levels. This has a positive cascading effect, lowering stress, which then lowers or even eliminates anxiety and improves mood.
We can also build resilience through a gratitude practice. Gratitude fosters a growth mindset, which helps us handle stress and recover more quickly from challenges (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). It also has a mindfulness quality to it; by focusing on the present and what we feel grateful for, we invite our brain to rest and notice the good right before us. By regularly training ourselves to search for things to feel grateful for, we are training our brain to notice these things in real time when they happen.
And gratitude makes us nicer! Studies have consistently shown feeling grateful to increase prosocial behavior and make working with others easier. Imagine how some of your more challenging professional relationships could improve simply because you turned to gratitude to ease the tension and foster goodwill.
Many lawyers enter the field to make a difference, but the day-to-day stress can sometimes overshadow that purpose. Practicing gratitude can help reconnect you with the reasons you chose this career, whether it’s helping a client or receiving a heartfelt thank-you for your hard work. Research shows that gratitude leads to greater job satisfaction and a stronger sense of purpose, both of which are key to avoiding burnout and enjoying a fulfilling career. So, ask yourself, “what set you out on this course” and then count the many ways you have marked your own path giving thanks for your own tenacity on the journey! Follow that up with a round of thanks for your many helpers on the way and you are deep into the benefits of a regular gratitude practice.
Finally, on top of improving emotional and psychological well-being, gratitude also boosts physical health. According to research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, people who practice gratitude report feeling healthier, exercise more, and experience fewer physical symptoms (Hill et al., 2013). Given how stressful the legal profession is, these physical benefits are a nice bonus for overall well-being and performance.
Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few simple ways to get started:
• Gratitude Journaling :Write down three things you’re grateful for each day to shift your focus toward the positives. After you are done writing them, take a few minutes to savor each thing and bring it to mind in full color and depth.
• Gratitude Letters: Send a note of appreciation to a colleague, mentor, or a friend to tell them how they helped you in life. This can be a text, an email, or a hand-written letter. Gratitude is expressed in the doing, not in the form. The bonus is you get to make someone else’s day. Double bonus: that connection to another in and of itself improves well-being! Last bonus: just thinking of the person and savoring the memory with a grateful heart improves well-being.
• Mindfulness Practices: Include gratitude in your mindfulness or meditation routine to help stay centered during the daily chaos. It’s easiest to build a habit by sprinkling short mindfulness sessions into your day. During those sessions, tie breath to gratitude for that breath and the power that it gives you to reset and start anew. These mini-resets can be remarkably effective at bringing a bit of lightness to your day.
While these may seem like small changes, the impact can be significant. Practicing gratitude can help lawyers feel more balanced, develop stronger relationships, and find greater satisfaction in both their personal and professional lives.