The Meanings Behind My Bracelets

I’ve been wearing polo shirts more often these days rather than long-sleeved dress shirts. As a result, more people are recognizing the variety of bracelets I wear on my right wrist. Sometimes, there’s a single bracelet. Other times, there might be as many as three or four. I might wear the same combination for days or for weeks.

Students sometimes ask why I wear bracelets because, I guess, law professors don’t usually wear bracelets—or, at least, the kinds I usually wear.

Besides the obvious reason of feeling balanced—with a watch on the left wrist and other accessories on the right—I wear bracelets as a constant reminder of things that are important to me.

Take today’s trio, as an example. I’m wearing three wrist bracelets from Lokai. Each Lokai bracelet carries water from Mt. Everest in the white bead and mud from the Dead Sea in the black bead. These two beads, positioned on either end of each bracelet, attempts to remind wearers to stay humble during life’s highs and hopeful through life’s lows.

Seeing the bracelets on my wrist keeps me both humble and happy as the bracelets serve as a constant reminder of both the tough times and the resulting triumphs I have experienced throughout the life.

Here’s what today’s three bracelets mean to me:

Minnesota™ Lokai: I graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Law. Maroon and gold are its school colors. Law school was one of the most demanding times of my life. Prior to attending law school, I didn’t know any lawyers. I didn’t even know what lawyers really did except for the dramatic courtroom stuff they did on television. Admittedly, law school was a tough time for me, both personally and academically. But I successfully made it through three years of legal education and the bar exam. This bracelet is a reminder that perseverance and hard work are key traits to achieving life’s goals.

Peloton x Lokai: Yes, I’m a Peloton rider. Look me up on the leaderboard under DeanPeloTommy. Since the Peloton was delivered on November 16, 2020, I have worked out 1,175 times, which includes 548 bike rides, 156 stretch classes, 96 runs, and 108 meditations. I’ve also completed a good number of walking, strength, yoga, bike bootcamp, and cardio classes as well. Since the Peloton delivery, I’ve lost nearly 20 pounds, and I feel like I have more energy each day. This bracelet is a reminder that physical health can result in a higher-quality, healthier, and longer life. And when a day almost passes me by before I’ve been able to do anything active, I tell myself just to go for a quick 20-minute walk because I know how much better I’ll feel afterwards.

Stigma Free Lokai: The Stigma Free Lokai supports the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ effort to end stigma and create hope for those affected by mental health conditions. This bracelet provides me with a continuous reminder that mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to positively contribute to work and society. I sometimes forget that. But it’s important to prioritize one’s mental health. The combination of wearing this bracelet along with the Peloton x Lokai bracelet reminds me that both physical health and mental health are necessary to my overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

The next time you see me, I might be wearing these same three bracelets. Or I might be wearing other bracelets that similarly represent important matters and causes to me.