This week, we are going to visit the topic of comparisons. For those of you that receive my Sunday's Story with Sides twice-monthly email, I apologize for three things. 

1. I'm sorry this will repeat a bit of this past week's email. But hey, as adult learners, it never hurts to revisit topics, right?

2. I'm also sorry, as so gently pointed out by one of my grown daughters, my email did NOT, in fact, have a story. (Don't worry, tomorrow, you'll get your story in your inbox - it...

This week I am offering some reflective thoughts to shift you out of actor/actress mode that we discussed last week and into owning and being proud of who you are and how you conduct yourself. This way of being, honors your genuine self and decreases the emphasis on vying for others' approval.  

It will be a concise read, but I invite you to spend at least 5 minutes getting granular with your answers. Bonus points for writing them out – which

1. Moves things to the verbal...

The more I coach, the more I see a theme emerging. The theme of portraying a character that fits the mold, earns praise and is accepted.

We are socialized early in the education process to perform for the approval of others.

You are standing on stage. The spotlight is on you. The critics are in the back with their pencils, ready to scribble harsh judgments with any slip or nuanced infraction. So much rides on the published review.

“Pass, Honors, High Pass,...

I am so honored to have been interviewed by Dr. Una on her Doctors Changing Medicine Podcast.

Take a Listen HERE

We continue to look at common thought distortions affecting the entire population that do not spare us as a physician community. And some seem to be more prevalent for us. This week we will review overgeneralizations.

Overgeneralization. This is when we take something with a negative outcome and generalize it to include everything with similarities. Its' equivalent in a scientific study would be an underpowered one (in which the sample size is analytically too small to...

Continuing our series on thought distortions, we will look at two more in the assumption category this week - mind-reading and personalization.   

Mind-reading is assuming you know what someone else is thinking. And guess what? Sadly, we aren’t actually psychic.

When getting to the PCU and finding the cardiologist shaking her head as she reads your note on a mutual patient, you may think you know what’s in her mind. If you assume she is thinking,...

This week we are moving into what I classify as the assumption category of thought distortions. We will look at the first two of four - jumping to conclusions and catastrophizing.

Jumping to Conclusions. This pattern of thinking automatically assumes the worst. It's not intentional but a well-worn pathway that lights up. People with this knee-jerk response often get labeled as "negative" or the "Debbie-downers." But remember, it exists for reasons. It is often a response to how we've...

We are currently in a series reviewing the top thought distortions physicians display. They are not unique to the medical field by any means, but these are the ones that often are uncovered in coaching. Being able to identify them clearly, makes it malleable so you can decrease the unnecessary stress they brings with them. Last week we looked at all-or-nothing thinking and should statements, and today we will look at two closely related thought errors – dismissing the positives and...

Last week, I introduced the most common thought error patterns in physicians. This week we will look at two prevalent distortions.

I'll start with one of the most easily recognizable cognitive distortions. 

The should (not) statement. "Shoulds" pretend to be motivating, but in reality, they add more burden to our mental load. 

They can be self-directed such as, "I should call that patient." Self-directed should-statements often lead to guilt, defeat,...