You now understand that core values help you filter out the less optimal paths in life and perhaps you’ve taken a few items off your to-do list. But what if you’re still stuck as to the next best move? Do you know where you want to go?
“waiting for a train to go
Or a bus to come, or a plane to go
Or the mail to come, or the rain to go…
Everyone is just waiting”
Credit: Dr. Seuss’ “Oh the Places You’ll Go”
The one thing I thought about during those 6 weeks of solitude in Spain (other than “I’ll never be able to get up from the ground without help ever again!”) was “what kind of WORK am I meant to do?”
At the time, I thought my burnout was due to career challenges in medicine. I thought that medicine was the problem, that maybe I had chosen the wrong profession. And this burnout was pre-pandemic—I never imagined something like March 2020 could ever happen!
It took me several years to realize that medicine wasn’t the only problem. The lack of fulfillment I expressed at work was a symptom of deeper issues that I was too afraid to examine—a lack of clarity of my core values, a lack of healthy boundaries, too many years of poor sleep, and emotional choices driven by ego. I couldn’t be present as a mother and a doctor because I operated from a place of fear.
What about you? What’s your story? Is it the same as mine? Or is it different?
How does fear keep you on the sidelines?
Maybe you ask yourself
“What else can I do if I’m trained to be a doctor?”
“How will I make an income as good as this?”
“Why can’t people see that I’m suffering?”
“How can I ask for help? I’m supposed to be the helper.”
No one ever said that tomorrow is guaranteed. You’re a doctor. You’ve seen enough heartache in your career to understand that life can be brutal, unfair, and random.
So why hesitate? Why stay in the waiting place?
You’re interested in changing. I know it.
What dream sounds scary and amazing and real right now?
Don’t try to be fearless. Instead, walk forward despite being so very afraid of the next step.
Question: What fear is holding you back? If you’re feeling brave and want to help other women also stand up, share in the comments below!
