In medical training, we were taught to trust protocols, patients, and data—but not our own bodies. The body was something to overcome.

Tired? Push through.
Hungry? Ignore it.
Sore? Work harder.
Sick? Keep going.

This way of being seeps so deeply into us that many physicians stop hearing the language of their own bodies.

We become experts at treating others—but strangers to our own needs.

Over time, we lose trust.
Trust in our bodies. Trust in ourselves. Trust in others. Trust in the process.

Rebuilding that trust is not just important for healing from injury or burnout. It is vital for reclaiming a sustainable, fulfilling life in medicine.

What trusting your body means

Trusting your body does not mean expecting it to perform. It means listening to its signals—and believing them. It means honoring thirst, hunger, rest, pain, and having to pee as real and worthy of attention—not as weaknesses to be conquered.

Physicians are conditioned to override these cues for so long that even the simple act of noticing bodily needs without judgment can feel radical. Simply noticing—and committing to mindfully partner with your body—is where true healing begins.

Trust, acceptance, and compassion: The muscles we need to rebuild

We must strengthen trust, acceptance, and compassion if we want to heal ourselves and lead more sustainably in medicine.

Trust is about letting go of constant control and believing your body’s wisdom. It is squatting down and trusting your legs to hold you. It is knowing when you have done enough—and honoring it without self-criticism.

Acceptance means meeting your real-life limitations with kindness, not resistance. Maybe it is an old injury, a surgery, or simply the natural evolution of aging. Acceptance does not mean giving up. It means choosing to work with reality instead of fighting it—and preserving energy for what matters most.

Compassion is releasing the shame that often arises when our bodies cannot meet our mind’s demands. It is recognizing everything your body has carried you through—and offering it the same care you offer to patients every day.

These are not just physical practices. They are emotional. They are leadership practices. They are the antidote to a culture that celebrates burnout and breakdown as badges of honor.

Subtle shifts create sustainable change

In healing—just as in medicine—it is often the smallest shifts that create the biggest impact.

Turning your foot a centimeter to the left during a squat.
Pausing for a deep breath before reacting in frustration.
Choosing curiosity instead of judgment.

These tiny recalibrations, repeated over time, rewire not just our bodies but our entire way of living and leading.

Healing is not something to add to your to-do list. Healing is about doing things differently. It is about learning to trust subtlety over force, and presence over performance.

Why this matters for physicians

As physicians, our bodies are not incidental to our work. They are instruments of healing, leadership, creativity, and connection.

They lift patients, stand through surgeries, weather emotional storms, and carry invisible burdens.

When we abandon our bodies, we eventually compromise not just our health, but our clarity, creativity, empathy, and ability to lead.

When we rebuild trust with our bodies, we rebuild the foundation for sustainable impact, not just for ourselves, but for our teams, our patients, and our families.

We become a model of sustainable and compassionate health, and we can teach those we care for and those we love how to do the same.

Reclaiming trust, one small step at a time

Where might you want to begin to trust your body, just a little, or again?

It might be as small as honoring your thirst during a clinic day. Maybe it is stretching after rounds. Maybe it is listening when exhaustion whispers, instead of waiting until it screams.

You took an oath to do no harm. That includes yourself.

You are worth tending to—with the same care and commitment you offer to everyone else.

Jessie Mahoney is a board-certified pediatrician, certified coach, mindfulness and yoga teacher, and the founder of Pause & Presence Coaching & Retreats. After nearly two decades as a physician leader at the Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser, she stepped outside the traditional medical model to reimagine what sustainable well-being in health care could look like. She can also be reached on Facebook and Instagram.

Dr. Mahoney’s work challenges the culture of overwork and self-sacrifice in medicine. She helps physicians and leaders cultivate clarity, intention, and balance—leveraging mindfulness, coaching, yoga, and lifestyle medicine to create deep and lasting change. Her CME retreats offer a transformative space for healing, self-discovery, and renewal.

As co-host of The Mindful Healers Podcast, she brings self-compassion and presence into the conversation around modern medical practice. A sought-after speaker and consultant, she partners with organizations to build more human-centered, sustainable, and inspired medical cultures.

Dr. Mahoney is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.