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When you were growing up, what did your parents model for you regarding the division of household chores? Was it equal? Was it divided amongst gendered expectations? Or did one parent manage it all? I grew up with an older sister and a younger brother. My parents divided chores based on age appropriate skill levels. […]

Do you have a mentor or a coach? Do you know the difference? A mentor is someone who is a few steps further than you who can guide you to be where they are one day. In short, your goals are similar. Think about someone who mentors you to be a top notch researcher or […]

Nelson Mandela once said, “I never lose. I either win, or I learn.” Let that sink in. It’s so powerful. Do you have something in your past that keeps you stuck? A belief? A trauma? A choice? Some random comment someone said about you? It’s easy to believe that the past defines you, that what […]

By default, I think I’m right. And in line with this belief, naturally I try to control how people around me behave and think. If you believe this doesn’t apply to you, ask yourself if you’ve ever done any of these things: Escalated an argument with a trainee consultant by saying “fine–I want to speak […]

If you had asked me 15 years ago what I thought of rest, I would have said “sleeping is for lazy people.” And I really believed it. Like many doctors, I was proud of my ability to plough through long days at the hospital with almost no sleep or breaks to eat. I didn’t even […]

If you’ve ever read the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by law professor Amy Chua, you’ll have a good idea of the type of mother I thought I would be. I had dreams of my kids speaking four languages, being great readers, being skilled at the violin, and of course excelling at the best […]

I love talking about purpose and meaning with people. I especially enjoy listening to people who are navigating tough decisions in their lives. I could do that all day long. Medical trainees know this and often earnestly ask me “where should I work, Dawn?” “Where, Dawn? What hospital? I need to get this right! TELL […]

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 […]

When I was at the peak of my burnout in 2013, I went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. Some days, I walked 20 km in the unrelenting heat. A few days, I walked 40 km. When I left Canada, my backpack weighted 13 kg. By the end of the pilgrimage, […]

Is there a book you’ve long promised yourself to read? Or an adventure you’d like to experience with your family? Or a hobby you’d like to try? What’s stopping you? “But Dawn, I don’t have the time!” Hmm….let’s agree to disagree. Last week, I asked you to get into the habit of choosing. Choose one […]