(Original post 6/21, update 12/23)

It's the beginning of a New Year. Positive intentions for change are in the air. This week we take our Changes and Transitions blog, one step further…to Transformation.  The words Change, Transition, and Transformation are often interchanged, but I want to offer a different take. Psychologists such as Dr. William Bridges and other social scientists have studied and clarified the differences. 

Change relates to behaviors...

(Updated 12/23, original post 6/21)

This week, we continue our look at changes and transitions we face throughout our careers and personal lives. Last week we looked at proactive changes you want to make. This week we look at transition to all changes, including those you didn't necessarily ask for or want.  

Transition can be defined as the psychological adaptation to change.

What changes are you undergoing (whether by choice or not)? How are you adapting? 

There are so many good...

(Original Post 6/21, updated 12/23)

Over the next few of weeks, we will review changes and transitions. Throughout a career in medicine, we face many of those. Today we are going to focus on changes related to you. 

Change can be defined as doing things differently, taking new approaches, seeking something new and/or different in yourself.

Reflect just a minute on your life and career. Make a couple of lists.

What changes do you desire?

What changes are you...

Two weeks ago, we looked at issues around making personal decisions, and last week we addressed targeting those issues around procrastination. This week, I will offer tools and strategies compiled from many mentors and sources that I have found helpful over the years. 

Kristina Guo, Chair of the Division of Public Administration at the University of Hawaii, designed the DECIDE model for healthcare managers. The anacronym breaks the process down to (1) D = define the problem,...

Last week we reviewed issues that arise around making personal decisions. This week, I’m offering you some steps to deal with the issues raised last week. Then, next week, we will dive into specific actions I find most useful.

Since we identified common procrastination as a barrier to making a decision – let’s talk about overcoming it.

First, the “I’m too busy” root of procrastination. This is like getting in the rental car and hurrying to your...

As physicians, we are trained to make dozens of decisions quickly each day. Yet, we aren't necessarily taught how to translate those methods into our personal lives. There are many methods, tools, and techniques out there that help business leaders make decisions. Some are very applicable to the personal world, and others- not so much.

Before I launch into my techniques for decision-making, compiled from many mentors over the years, I want to explore the issues around decisions first.

Last week, we discussed what the  Inner Critic is and how to develop an awareness of its presence and its damage.  This week, we move on to the next steps of quieting your inner critic.

Step 1 –Awareness as discussed last week.

Step 2 – Get a clear picture of your critic.  In your mind or via some art form, put a face to your inner critic. Does it look like some form of yourself, a drill sergeant, your dismissive stoic teacher with her glasses...

In this week’s blog, I’d love to discuss the grass-is-greener fallacy. I don’t pretend to know all the answers, but hope to spark some healthy reflection for you, especially if you find yourself in that boat.

First, I want to validate that if you are practicing clinical family medicine or academic family medicine, no matter what form it takes – you have a challenging job. The challenges are deep and broad. Most of us are partially or fully employed as opposed to...

This week, I am finishing out the takeaways from the Careers in FM Blog Series over the past four months, which highlighted 15 fulfilled family physicians with diverse career paths. A couple of weeks ago, I highlighted two major themes that ran through the series – Career Trajectory and Mentorship and then the themes of Finding/Creating Fulfillment and Joy. Last week, I reviewed their recommendations for First Job and Job Pivot Career Decisions. This week, I'm...

I’m continuing to highlight the takeaways from the Careers in FM Blog Series over the past four months, which highlighted 15 fulfilled family physicians with diverse career paths. A couple of weeks ago, I highlighted two major themes that ran through the series – Career Trajectory and Mentorship. Last week, I highlighted the takeaway themes of Finding/Creating Fulfillment and Joy and other significant themes. This week, I'm capturing the wealth of advice...