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As a mother and a doctor, I know you are sometimes worried and afraid, overwhelmed and overstretched. But your families depend on you to be their foundation. You're imperfect. And that's okay.
Because you are something better.
You're whole, fierce, and unshakeable.
ALL RECENT POSTS:
There is a scene from the movie “Stepmom” that just….arghhhh! Even though I wasn’t a mother when I saw it, it made me cry. Mothers are the keystones of a healthy family. It can feel like a thankless invisible burden sometimes. Okay, a lot of times. So my journal prompt for you is this: Think […]
Have you read this beautiful essay by Bronnie Ware? Bronnie worked with palliative care patients and wanted to share the universal stories of regret from those at the end of their lives. Write down your regrets. Keep this list in front of you, because you can use these regrets to be guide posts for your […]
There is no quick fix to burnout. You are not responsible for the holes in the healthcare system. I hope this is obvious. It’s okay to feel angry that medical culture penalizes those who choose to be mothers. It does extract an unfair toll. Expectations for mothers are unrealistic. You know this. I don’t need […]
Until now, I’ve asked you to subtract things from your to-do list in order to make space. That involves saying no a lot. Certainly, it can feel very brave to say no when everyone else expects you to say yes. But it can also feel very brave to say yes when every part of you […]
In her TED talk, “The Power of Vulnerability” Brené Brown talks about the common view that vulnerability is weakness. Vulnerability, which she defines as emotional exposure without the ability to control the outcome, is actually the strongest indicator of courage. Credit: Dr. Brené Brown, TEDx Houston If you, a mother-doctor, are strong and healthy, your […]
This essay is as true today as it was when I wrote it a few years ago. When I wrote it, my editor asked me “Dawn, are you sure you want to share this?” Why does a doctor’s pain go unnoticed? It’s because we are too afraid to be vulnerable. Daily practice. Small steps. Move […]
“I’m so burnt out. I’m failing my patients!” “I want work life balance, but how?” “Will my kids resent my career?” Do you have these thoughts? If so, how many days (or years…or decades) have gone by since you first felt this way? And what has changed since then? If you’re in a better space […]
