Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Thriving as a Female Physician

In the demanding world of female physicians, burnout and exhaustion often take a toll. In this episode, Dr. Asha dives into the journey of emotional resilience, highlighting the significance of acknowledging our burdens and granting ourselves permission to prioritize well-being. The concept of resilience might feel worn-out, but there's more to learn, especially in our profession.

Discover how to turn resilience into a positive force that rejuvenates and empowers. Dr. Asha shares insights on adapting to challenges, building a supportive network, and prioritizing self-care. As female physicians, we have an innate ability to power through, but what if we could do it while feeling fulfilled, not drained?

In this episode, Dr. Asha combines her medical expertise and coaching skills to equip women physicians with essential tools for success. 
 Listen now to redefine your approach to resilience. 

Connect with Dr. Asha Padmanabhan:

🌐 Website: www.theleadershiprx.com
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💼 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/ashapadmanabhan

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Transcript

0:11

Resilience in the face of adversity, thriving as a female physician. As female physicians, we are no strangers to the tremendous demands and pressures of our profession. We tirelessly care for others. And we often neglect our own needs in that process. And then we wonder why we're so constantly exhausted. I certainly have been in that state of exhaustion many times. And I'm sure you have too. And no wonder we are burning out in record numbers. And that's why this statement resonates so much with me. The journey to emotional resilience begins with acknowledging the weight we carry and granting ourselves permission. To prioritize our own wellbeing. So again, the journey toward emotional resilience. Begins with acknowledging it. Acknowledging the weight. And grinding ourselves permission to prioritize ourselves. I'm sure you've heard the term Resilience ad nauseum before. In fact, you're probably sick of hearing about it. If you're sick of hearing about it, I'm going to still encourage you to keep listening, because you might still learn something from this that you can use, and that will help you. In fact, I think we as physicians, especially female physicians. Are some of the most resilient people around. And yet we keep getting told that we need to be more resilient, so we don't burn out. I say we are resilient. We power through no matter what we face. But we are exhausted at the end of it. And that's why I think we need to redefine resilience. What is resilience and what if we could. Be resilient in a way that leaves us feeling good and not drained and exhausted. This is a Leadership Prescription Podcast for Women Physicians. And I'm your host Dr. Asha. I'm an anesthesiologist and full-time clinical work. And I hold several admin roles and leadership positions in state and national organizations. I'm also a master certified physician development coach. and positive intelligence coach. I empower women physicians to embrace their innate leadership potential and help them unleash their true capabilities. Through my coaching. I equip them with the essential skills necessary. To achieve professional and personal fulfillment. From mastering effective communication to expertly navigating conflicts. And excelling in negotiation. I guide them on their journey to become the confident leaders in their field. Together. We transformed the doubts into unwavering. Self-belief. Allowing them to step into their true leadership selves and create meaningful impact in their careers and beyond. So, what do I mean by resilience? Resilience is not an absence of distress or difficulty. It's the ability to adapt, recover, and keep moving forward. That's a quote by an unknown person. Which resonates with me. So resilient doesn't just mean getting up and going. Every time you hit a roadblock. Powering through, no matter how you're feeling emotionally. Because I think for a lot of us, that's what we think. If we just power through, then we think we are resilient. And that's not what I think we didn't need to mean. resilience is actually the ability to recover quickly from setbacks. And by that, I mean, emotionally. How quickly can you face a challenge and turn it around to something positive? So a well-written article on. HBR. Sean Anker and Michelle, Gielan talk about how resilience is all about how you recharge, not how you endure. So not just enduring, but actually, how do you recharge? And the defined it In relation to homeostasis. So as you know, homeostasis is a fundamental biological concept describing the ability of the brain to continuously restore and sustain wellbeing. And positive neuroscientists Brentford from Texas a and M coined the term homeostatic value to describe the value that certain actions have for creating equilibrium and thus wellbeing in the body. So, so beautiful, right. Homeostatic value of the body. So when the body is out of alignment from overworking, We waste a vast amount of mental and physical resources trying to return to balance. We can move forward. I think we can apply this to all the stressors that we encounter and it's not just physical, but mental stressors. So to get back to a state of homeostasis mentally, We have to figure out a way that we can. Do it as fast as possible. And that's what I'm going to talk about here. Because we want to return to the state of homeostasis mentally as fast as possible. So, let me give you an example. That might illustrate this bit better. Think of the last time you faced a challenge. It could be something small, like a staff member, not showing up to work. Increasing your work button, or it could be something big, like you facing a job loss or a demotion. Some simple examples of what happened to me. Last week just as I was getting ready to go to work. I got that dreaded text. A CNA called out now. I had to scramble and find coverage so that my or schedule could still run efficiently. I was mentally cursing that person out even while I was trying to figure out what to do. I frantically contacted several other people. And finally managed to get some coverage. I raised that coverage and made it into work, but then more things snowballed and I faced challenge after challenge. A colleague who didn't show up on time. So that then I had to set up the room and see her patient putting me even more behind. The labs that were not available to help me get a case started. Which I had to explain to a surgeon why I couldn't start his case on time and then deal with his hysteria. And so on. So a challenge after challenge. Small challenges when you think about it, but each building up leading to frustration and anxiety and anger. Now a year ago, each of these instances would have put me in a fouler and a fouler mood that by the end of the day, I would have wondered why I was still working and surely it was better to quit and surely it was better to find another job. Fast-forward to today I'm more resilient. And my recovery time from each setback is faster so that I can face it. Recover and move quickly into problem-solving. And it doesn't bother me as much anymore. And that's because I have worked so much on my emotional resilience. So the reason it's important for us to be emotionally resilient so that we can be more at an even keel, be more calm and be more able to problem solve better. We can handle setbacks better when we adapt to the changes and we're able to bounce back from failures and learn from our mistakes. And use challenges as opportunities for growth. You guys know our journey in medicine is filled with challenges. But by cultivating resilience, we can not only navigate adversity. But also thrive in the face of it. So resilience. Stems from our ability to adapt to changing circumstances. As female physicians, we encounter various challenges. So here are three ways that you can cultivate resilience. When we face these various challenges from demanding workloads to unexpected obstacles. If you embrace the mindset of adaptivity and view challenges as opportunities for growth. Then you will learn to pivot and you will learn to seek solutions and find new ways to navigate difficult situations. When you embrace adaptability, you can cultivate resilience and thrive in the face of adversity. When that CRD called out. After the initial momentary time of cursing the person out. I was able to adapt and change and try to find my digital Rolodex now. Of name's who. I could call and quickly arrange for coverage. And so what could have been something that could have been a major challenge? In fact on.to be a minor challenge. Because I had learned to be adaptable. So point number one is to embrace the power of adaptability. Next resilience is not built in isolation. It's crucial to cultivate a supportive network of colleagues, mentors, and loved ones who can provide guidance, encouragement. And the listening you're doing challenging times. Surround yourself with positive influences who believe in your abilities and can offer support when you need it. Most. So I've been able to build some networks of people to surround myself with. Of course my family, but also colleagues and friends, because sometimes. The people who can understand you most are in the trenches with you. And so I've been able to surround myself with some of the best people that I could ask for who I could bounce things off, who I could vent to when needed and who I know will support me. When I need to. So. Takeaway number two. Cultivate a supportive network. This is key to becoming more resilient. Next. Resilience also requires caring for ourselves, both physically and mentally. As female physicians, it's easy to neglect our wellbeing amidst. busy schedules. However, self care is not a luxury, but actually a necessity. So prioritize activities that rejuvenate and nourish your mind, body and soul. Whether it's exercise, whether it's mindfulness practices, hobbies are spending quality time with loved ones, make self-care a non-negotiable part of your life. For me. The time I spend once a week at the beach watching the sunrise and then going for a run outwards. Going for a run afterwards. Is. One of the ways I rejuvenate. It took a lot of time for me to actually come up with that activity because for a long time I kept pushing it off saying I didn't have time and I didn't have the energy and I needed sleep. But once I recognized that this was something that I truly enjoyed and made a big difference in my life, then I started prioritizing it and even setting aside the time for it on a Saturday or Sunday morning to make sure I did it. And there are other things that I do. To help myself. Feel grounded and be able to recover from all the stressors of the Workday. So find something like that for yourself. Whatever it is that gives you joy or whatever it is that you can find that will help you take care of yourself better. So takeaway number three, prioritize self care and wellbeing. So essentially resilience is about embracing adaptability, cultivating a supportive network and priority. Prioritizing self care. And by incorporating these practices into our lives, we can develop the resilience needed to thrive as female physicians. In the next episode, I will give you more practical tips on how to work on building your resilience. Thanks so much for joining me today on this exploration of resilience. Remember as female physicians, we possess immense strength and the ability to overcome challenges. Let's cultivate resilience, let's support one another and thrive in our medical journeys. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with your fellow physician. Who may need a dose of resilience. And don't forget to subscribe to my podcast and like, And give five stars to this episode. And if you'd like to explore what coaching with me would look like. And then I'm going to put my calendar link on for a 15 minute exploratory call, which you can book on my calendar.