How satisfying. I achieved my goal of maintaining a blog for one year. Ten times. 🙂 Who knows how much longer this will last? Honestly everything after this is frosting… I feel truly liberated–no obligations, no restrictions, no pressure; only fun and joy.
What happens in ten years? How do we evolve and not? How does society turn and change, and not?
What will everything be like ten years from now? We could erradicate cervical cancer in my lifetime with a vaccine. Wild. Humans may soon populate another planet, or annihilate this one–or both, I suppose–maybe not in my lifetime, but in the foreseeable future.
How many years (weeks) do you estimate you have left in this mortal life? What will you do with them?
Oh, I just realized: This blog birthday coincides with my nest emptying soon. Another liberation! A milestone, another set of occasions to celebrate. How fun and exciting!
Home late from the office today, I thought I might forgo posting here–until I realized today is the blog’s actual birthday! Ten years: Mark it! But no need to be loud about it. Work was busy and long, and in the best way, as usual. So much connection. Wow. How lucky I am. I’m excellent at what I do. It’s recognized, appreciated, and reinforced. I’m surrounded by rock stars, at work and beyond. Despite the chaos, tumult, and distress in the world, there is still so much love and warmth everywhere I look. I feel it every day, through and through; people crave it, respond to it, absorb it like the thirstiest sponges. Pretty much everything I’m doing now feels sustainable for several more years, if not another decade yet. What a calming, contented, peaceful sensation. It could all go away in a heartbeat, too; one never knows.
So I revel. Peacefully. How nice. Thank you for reading along. Wishing peace and love to you all, this day and all days.
Oh my goodness. It’s been a decade. Holy cow. I’m in the feels, people.
I published the very first post here on April 14, 2015, The Premise. Reading it again now (I can’t remember the last time I read it), I’m proud that I can still stand firmly and proudly behind every sentence. At that time, I had only begun to speak nationally on physician burnout and well-being, culminating in multiple memorable and rewarding collaborations until right before the pandemic. That work carries on now without my direct participation, still championed by colleagues whom I admire more than words can express. My own work in wellness has since touched other professions including design, law, and state and federal judiciaries. How humbling to be invited into these spaces; what a privilege. Every opportunity teaches me, broadens my perspective, and reinforces my Premise:
“Patients and physicians have control over one thing above all else: our relationship with each other. Relationships live and die by communication. Barriers on the obstacle course of patient-physician communication loom large and formidable. Our system fails us over and again. And it falls to each of us, not the system, to find our way to connection and healing relationships.”
I thought our healthcare system was broken a decade ago; and here we are, worse off still in too many ways to count. Now more than ever, it is our relationships that will save us. It’s another paradox, connection: So important and fundamental, such a necessity, and also kind of mundane. It can happen in the smallest of moments–a glance, a fleeting facial expression, a passing vibe, a shared language–which can be lifesaving and also taken for granted. It can also require collossal effort–tremendous self-restraint, courage, and tenacity–to achieve it across deep and complex conflict and separation. I submit that both/all forms of connection are equally valuable and necessary for us humans to thrive. The longer I live, learn, practice, and write, the more I believe this to my bones.
It did not occur to me until today to do something big and special for my 10th blog birthday. Honestly I had thought of sunsetting the whole thing before the renewal date rolled around last month. But since I had not made any plans or decisions, I paid the fee and here we are.
So let’s have some fun this month, eh?
I think I’ll try to post daily. Nothing too labor intensive, no obligations, no rules. It’s my birthday party and I’ll write if I want to. I have 100 drafts waiting to expand and engage, four occurring just in the space of this morning’s commute.
It really is all about Connection: This blog, medicine, health, wellness, relationships, life.
How ironic: The world feels more divided and polarized, separated and divergent now than I can remember in my lifetime. And yet in my life personally, I feel more connected to people everywhere now than ever. What is that about? How fascinating and wonderful! Let me attempt to explore it and share in the next 28 days, yes?
Healing Through Connection. Connecting in all possible ways, for the good of us all. It’s what we live for, I’m convinced. So let’s dive in, celebrate, and see what emerges! Oh, this could be fun. See you tomorrow!
Happy New Year, friends! The season’s spirit still saturates me, and I will ride it as long as it lasts! Wishing that residual lightness and joy on you all, too!
Today was day 334 of Morning Pages, so I’m on track to hit 337/365 or so by the one year mark of this new habit–not bad! I don’t recall missing any blog posts in 2024–did I? So yay, the writing is consistent! This is post #670. With an average of 700 words each, that’s 469,000 words written in a little less than ten years. I can confidently say I have established a solid body of work. Book will happen eventually, and I’m okay with whatever cosmic timing is at play here.
This season, however, all I want to do every day is write jar smiles. Inspiration can come anywhere, from music to audiobooks to movies, to conversations. Messages occur to me spontaneously while driving or looking out the window, and even falling asleep at night. I’m having so much fun capturing them on pretty origami paper. I’m using all my fun pens, and folding them is positively meditative.
I don’t generally set explicit goals or concrete intentions ‘for the year’, but I feel a slight leaning that way at the moment. Letting it marinate rather than write about it tonight–maybe next week. But these tiny love notes! They make me so happy! So tonight I thought I’d share the latest batch here, in case they lift you also.
Maybe you’ll bookmark this post somewhere and come back to it when you want a little encouragement. Maybe you’ll point someone you care about this way, so they can get a little love, too. Regardless, I hope that by sharing these notes here, many more people may benefit from the expressions than just me and the people who read them on paper. Not sure how long I’ll end up writing them, but given the similarly joyful meaning and reward to writing this blog and Morning Pages so far, I have a feeling the jars I have started around the country and soon around the world may stay filled a while yet.
Peace, friends. Onward in solidarity and love:
Hello Love! Had a great HIIT workout at the gym, then connected with friends. Wishing you this awesome of a start to your day often!
When you need nourishment – body, mind, and spirit – may the food and fuel you need present to you promptly.
Wishing you today the kind of energy that causes you to hip sway, stomp, and wave your arms high in raucous joy!
Strength. You have it in spades in many domains! It’s a quiet force that we feel and respond to–you have impact.
Hello Darling! What’s got your mind whirring and your spirit humming? Wishing you the movement that fulfills you today!
Sometimes we just need to pursue pleasure. If today is one of those times, may your pursuit end positively gloriously.
May we always respect the creative impulses that arise from our deep hearts’ yearning to be known. Peace, dear one.
On the long arc of this lifetime, may we encounter often other souls who see the value and importance of connection and utter love.
Thinking of agency a lot these days – where we have it, how we exercise it, and when we don’t recognize it – may you always know yours!
Our best friends are as good as family if not better – wishing you these people in your life every day to lift you and hold you up!
When you need comfort, may the hard and prickly parts of the world fall away and only softness take their place.
What are your intentions today? Wishing the universe to help align them with your greatest positive impact!
When you need stability, may the ground beneath your feet feel rock solid and your heart beat in steady strength.
Quality time with the people who matter most: Wishing you loads and loads to keep your heart full and your spirit high.
May your needs be anticipated and met with love and mindful effectiveness by all who love you every day!
May you always know and never forget how incredibly special you are and how important you are in other people’s lives!
When you need change, may the winds of new beginnings and novel experience knock joyfully at your door.
May you know yourself so deeply and with such confidence that no person may assail your integrity even a little.
The only way out is through; the best way through is together. Right here with you, dear one.
Healing Through Connection 