“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”
―Eckhart Tolle
Q: “Daddy, will you play with me?”
Me: “Sure. What do you want to play?”
Q: “Let’s play dolls.”
Me: “OK, sweetie. Let’s play.”
Moments later, I start checking my phone, and my thoughts begin to swirl. ...
“When you squeeze an orange, you'll always get orange juice to come out. What comes out is what's inside. The same logic applies to you: when someone squeezes you, puts pressure on you, or says something unflattering or critical, and out of you comes anger, hatred, bitterness, tension, depress...
“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”
–Sydney J. Harris
During a recent conversation with my physician coach, I found myself reflecting on my favorite part of our family vacation to the Caribbean. We snorkeled, swam with turtles, rented jet skis, held starfish, and...
“There” is no better than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here,” you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”
―
Physicians are not strangers to the ...
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
– Anne Lamott
While coaching a physician, we started talking about his upcoming vacation. He and his wife had planned a two-week South Pacific trip, which sounded incredible. As he spoke about his break, he t...
“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.”
―Ruth E. Renkel
It is incredible to look back at your life and recognize the critical moments that led you to become the unique human being you are today. Many people, places, and things needed to come together ...
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
―
I stumbled upon the Financial Independence Retirement Early (FIRE) movement when I was extremely frustrated with medicine. Retirement seemed like the best solution for my physician burnout. I’m not sure I completely understo...
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically—to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.”
―Stephen Covey
Work-life balance has become increasingly popular over ...
People pleasers are liars.
The first time I heard that quote, I was a bit shocked. As a native New Yorker, I have a rather direct manner of speaking, and it feels more natural to just “say it like it is.” My words are often a little too blunt. Despite my direct nature, the word lia...
“The word ‘should’ is an enemy of growth and a thief of joy.”
―Kevin Ngo
The first time I heard the phrase “shoulding all over yourself,” I laughed. As a gastroenterologist, I have a particular affinity for poop jokes. It might not be obvious when you read the phrase, but say it out l...
“We’re afraid that the feeling of joy won’t last, or that the other shoe is going to drop. We think, ‘I’m feeling good, this can’t be right; something bad is going to happen.’”
—Brené Brown
Foreboding Joy. I didn’t make it up. I had never even heard of foreboding joy until I read Dar...
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters.
If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”
–Harvey Mackay
Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I attended a conference for entrepreneurs. Over the years, I’ve been to countless medical conferences where the atmosphere is f...