When was the last time you paused for a moment to feel your energy? I mean, really get in touch with the energy you hold inside your being?

Could it be that, as physicians, we have gotten so used to feeling stressed or drained at the end of the day that we’ve forgotten how to feel at ease and be in a state of joy as we take care of our patients, team, family, and ourselves?

Recently I received a text from the mother of a newborn who had been in the neonatal ICU almost six years ago. After birth, he was rushed to the NICU. After a brief honeymoon, he became very sick, intubated on the ventilator, had umbilical lines, then a PICC line, had feeding challenges, and even had laser surgery for retinopathy of prematurity.

Caring for critically ill patients as he once was is stressful, overwhelming, and daunting. Each patient encounter requires more than time and knowledge. It requires an emotional and energetic investment in doing our best for optimal patient outcomes.

Living in that state has become our new norm. In the midst of a crisis, we hold our breath. We forget the importance of exhaling and taking a deep, cleansing breath to regain clarity and focus. When the pager goes off at 3 a.m., we forget to have faith in the team and exist in a state of isolation, believing that we carry the burden alone.

Living in that state makes our natural state of ease, calm, and well-being foreign to us.

Seeing the pictures of that once sick neonate, now a little boy with his siblings, being silly, laughing, and living, reminded me of what it feels like to hold the energy of ease and flow and joy and life within my being. While I’m sure the family lives with the impact of his Neonatal ICU hospitalization, we spoke of none of that. The conversation focused on life.

Living. The pictures reminded me of my capacity to live each moment to the fullest. It reminded me that in those moments when my chest feels tight, I can choose to take a deep cleansing breath that brings me back to my well-being, especially at the most critical moments.

There will always be times in medicine and in life when the stress and overwhelm try to get the best of me. In the over two decades of being a doctor, I’ve learned that making my well-being a priority is as important to delivering optimal patient outcomes as is the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired.

Stephanie Wellington is a physician, certified professional coach, and founder of Nurturing MDs, dedicated to guiding physicians from stress and overwhelm to ease and flow in the demanding medical field. She empowers clinicians to infuse new energy into their careers and reconnect with their identities beyond the stethoscope. She can also be reached on Facebook and LinkedIn.

She is a speaker, author, and recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. If stress and overwhelm are part of your practice, get started with the free guide: “15 Ways to Infuse New Energy.”

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