Imagine walking through the hospital and seeing a colleague you haven’t worked with in years. The moment your eyes meet, a giant smile spreads across both of your faces—pure, genuine joy.

There’s an instant connection, an unspoken recognition of the experiences you shared. You remember the ease of collaboration, the unshakable trust in each other’s expertise. Teamwork at its best—fluid, energizing, and effective.

But over time, things shift. People move on in search of what’s best for them. And those who remain? We’re often left picking up the pieces, trying to recreate that same flow with new team members at varying levels of experience.

This is one of the many challenges of modern medicine. Staff turnover is high, retention is low, and continuity feels like a luxury instead of the norm.

It’s tempting to get caught in comparison—thinking back to “how good it used to be” and feeling frustrated with how hard it can be now. But what if, instead, we chose to love our life and clinical experiences for exactly what they are?

What if, in that brief reunion with an old colleague, we didn’t just feel nostalgic, we felt grateful? Grateful for the reminder of what’s possible. Grateful for the energy of true collaboration, the memory we can now tap into and embody in our present moment.

As physicians, it’s easy to get caught in the 3 C’s of medicine: Comparison, Competition, and Complaining. We focus on what’s not working… the revolving door of staff, the burden of training new people, the constant reset each time someone new is added to the team.

But seeing that old colleague? It felt like seeing an old friend. Their warm greeting reminded me not only of an amazing time in medicine, but also of who I was in that experience. Their greatness reflected mine, too.

And that’s why I love my life. Not because it’s perfect, but because moments like this remind me to pause, appreciate, and carry the energy of connection—no matter the setting, no matter the team.

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.

When Dr. Wellington integrated life coaching principles into her medical practice, her clinical experiences transformed. While she still faces long shifts, critical patients, and systemic challenges, she chooses to be solution-focused, prioritizing the best outcomes for her patients, her team, and herself. For over a decade, she has been teaching physicians the life strategies needed to transform their medical careers and optimize their well-being.

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.”