Latest Journal Posts
The Surprising Power of Change: Lessons from Painting My Home
“Get house painted” has been on my to-do list for years. When I bought my house, 21 years ago, it was newly built. And to be honest, I never liked the paint choices the builder made. I bought it before it was finished and was given some choices about the interior, but not the exterior paint color, which was probably just as well as I would not have had any idea where to begin.
Step Out, Because Your Moment Has Arrived
I was asked recently to give a talk on leadership at a pre-meeting before the annual conference of the Orthopedic Trauma Association. A friend, also both an orthopedic surgeon and coach, is putting on this half-day symposium. I was, of course, honored to be asked and saw it as a great opportunity to do some networking, gain a new audience, and also get more experience in public speaking.
Abandon Every Tired or Painful Inner Script for a Happier Life
Humans have an inherent impulse and ability to teach, learn, and entertain through stories. We also naturally create internal narratives with our inner dialogue. It’s valuable to notice these internal stories to see if they serve us in creating the life we want or block us from believing it’s possible.
There Are Powerful Reasons to Craft Your Own Medical Oath
Toward the conclusion of medical school, an oath is usually taken by the graduates–a symbolic commitment to their calling and a promise to guide their medical careers. For years I had the impression that everyone either took the Hippocratic Oath or the Oath of Maimonides. However, in researching this blog I learned there are many more options and came upon some interesting statistics. Until recently, about half of medical graduates took some version of the Hippocratic Oath, with the other half adopting the Declaration of Geneva, the Oath of Maimonides, and various others.
Goals: Friend or Foe?
It’s January, so much of social media, news, magazine articles, and the like turns to goals, goals, goals. For physicians, goals are like breathing. We set them almost without thinking about it. Our entire young adult lives were controlled by goals. So much so that not having goals can lead to feeling adrift, without purpose. But new goals don't have to be so long-term as becoming a doctor. We would be better off setting our sights on shorter-term goals that enrich our lives in the here and now.
It’s Always a Practice
I knew I had been exposed to someone who had covid. I hoped that the many boosters I had had would be enough to protect me, but when the new cough started and persisted through the night, I knew it was time to test.
So I did. Twice. Because after a month spent writing about acceptance, it apparently remains something I have to work on. Which is probably why I chose to spend time on it. It’s still potent for me.
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