The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief. . .Why Processes Beat Resolutions for Achieving Wellbeing
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”-Stephen McCranie
Welcome (back) to the Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief! Each week, I try to share insights and practical strategies to help us cultivate well-being and thrive — both personally and professionally. Live well! Lawyer well!
Every January, we make resolutions with the best of intentions. Sleep more. Eat better. Exercise consistently. Be less stressed. And yet, by February, if not sooner, many of those goals quietly fade.
The problem isn’t motivation. It’s the model we’re using.
Resolutions focus on outcomes. Wellbeing is built through processes and systems.
If 2026 is the year you actually want to feel better — more energized, calmer, stronger, and more connected — it’s time to stop relying on resolutions and start building systems.
The Resolution Trap
Resolutions tend to be:
All-or-nothing (“I’m working out five days a week or I’ve failed”
Emotion-dependent (they collapse when life gets busy)
Outcome-obsessed (fixated on results instead of daily behaviors)
They ask: What do I want to achieve?
But they rarely answer: How will I live day to day when things aren’t perfect?
Wellbeing doesn’t collapse because of a lack of desire — it collapses because there’s no structure supporting it.
Why Systems Work
A system is a repeatable set of behaviors that makes the healthy choice easier and the unhealthy choice harder.
Systems:
Reduce decision fatigue
Don’t rely on willpower
Adapt to real life (stress, travel, busy seasons)
Keep you moving forward even when motivation dips
Think less “I will be healthier in 2026” and more “Here’s how my week is structured to support my health.”
Progress becomes inevitable — not heroic.
Shifting From Goals to Processes
Goals still matter. They give direction. But processes are what carry you there.
Instead of this:
“I want to sleep 8 hours a night.”
Try this:
“My system is a consistent wind-down routine and a fixed phone-off time.”
Instead of:
“I want to be less stressed.”
Try:
“My system includes daily movement, weekly planning, and protected recovery time.”
You’re no longer chasing perfection — you’re practicing consistency.
Building Wellbeing Systems Across the 5 Pillars
Wellbeing isn’t one habit. It’s an ecosystem. Systems work best when they touch multiple pillars of life.
Movement & Recovery
Anchor workouts to existing routines (after school drop-off, before dinner)
Schedule recovery like you schedule meetings
Default to movement, not intensity
Sleep
Fixed wake-up time (even on weekends)
A repeatable 20–30 minute shutdown routine
Bedroom as a cue for rest, not stimulation
Nutrition & Hydration
Fewer food decisions during the week
Simple, repeatable breakfasts and lunches
Hydration tied to existing habits (first thing in the morning, every meeting break)
Mindset
Daily reflection instead of occasional journaling
Short check-ins: What’s in my control today?
Progress tracking focused on behaviors, not mood
Connection
Standing social rhythms (weekly walk, monthly dinner)
Check-ins scheduled, not left to chance
Technology used to support connection, not replace it
Systems Are Built for Imperfect Humans
The biggest advantage of systems is that they assume you will:
Get tired
Get busy
Lose focus
Have off days and or weeks
And they still work.
A system doesn’t ask you to be disciplined all the time. It asks you to return to the process.
Miss a workout? The system is still there tomorrow.
Have a rough week? The structure remains intact.
That’s resilience — not rigidity.
Your 2026 Wellbeing Reset
As you look toward 2026, don’t ask:
What do I want to accomplish?
Ask:
What processes do I want to live inside of?
What systems make feeling good the default?
Final Thoughts
Wellbeing isn’t built in bold declarations on January 1st. It’s built quietly — through small, repeatable actions that compound over time. Drop the resolution. Build the system. Let 2026 take care of itself.
Forward Always!
