Episode 22 - Navigating Uncertainty

Join me on this solo episode to hear how I’ve navigated uncertainty in my life - the tools I’ve used and the tools I’ve shared with my clients.

Uncertainty is a part of life - but it doesn’t have to lead to burnout and frustration.

Purchase my book here - 

https://tinyurl.com/thepurposefulmdbook

Transcript

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Welcome to the PurposefulMD Podcast. As a physician, you've sacrificed so much of your life for other people. Your patients, your family, your friends, and your colleagues. What would it feel like to spend time doing what you enjoy, and to live without guilt? I'm your host, Dr. Laura Suttin, a family physician, certified coach and business owner. If you're a medical professional on a journey towards your most purposeful life, a life with more time and energy and ultimately more joy, then this is the podcast for you. Welcome to the podcast. Before we get to today's episode, I want to remind you that my book is now out. The Purposeful MD, Creating the Life You Love Without Guilt officially launched on October the 1st. So you can grab your copy. You can get your copy at the purposefulmd.com/book. I will put that link in the show notes. So I am so excited to bring this to the world. This is a really a guide for medical professionals. But anybody who is struggling to create more time and more joy in their day, there's tons of practical advice in the book and tips that you can follow, journal prompts for you to get into action right away. I get really personal and share my story and some stories of my clients and how we've been able to create that life for ourselves. So I hope you enjoy the book. And like I said, go ahead and get your copy at the purposefulmd.com/book. And I will put that link in the show notes. Thank you. Something that's been coming up for me a lot lately is around navigating uncertainty. So as I'm recording this, it's October, 2024 in the U S we're in the middle of a really contentious election that has a ton of uncertainty. We are also navigating extreme weather events. So a few weeks ago, we had a massive hurricane that struck our East coast. Um, today, last night, we've had a massive hurricane that struck our Florida coast. And so just a lot of uncertainty, a lot of Not sure what's going to happen next. And what really can come from that is a feeling of not having any control and a feeling that things happen that we just don't have any control or influence over. And that's a really, really unsettling feeling. And so how do we manage through the overwhelm and the anxiety that comes up with that? And so a few things that have helped me along the way, a few things that I I've coached on a few things that have helped other clients and colleagues of mine, friends of mine along the way, things that I talked to my kids about is how do we deal with these feelings that come up, right? It's not necessarily the events. So much. I mean, for a lot of us, it is the events, it's the hurricanes, it's the storms, it's the impact of political events and all of this. Absolutely. Absolutely. For the vast majority of us who are maybe not as directly impacted by these events, how do we manage through the overwhelm that comes up and the anxiety and uncertainty? And so a few things have helped me. One has been just to acknowledge that. Yeah, this is a crazy time that we're living in and maybe it's not any crazier than it was. in the past, but that doesn't really change that there are some really unsettling things happening right now. We've got wars going on. Um, it's just, there's a lot that feels very heavy right now. And so acknowledging that. So that's one strategy because there's a phrase that's been coming up for me a lot lately is whatever we resist, Persists. So if we try to push it away and tell ourselves that we don't feel anxious or we don't feel overwhelmed by what's going on, then that overwhelm and that anxiety is going to grow. Those emotions can be like a beach ball. So if you've ever tried to hold a beach ball underwater, it's hard, right? And the more you try to hold it underwater, the longer you hold it, the harder it gets. And then also, the longer you hold it underwater, the more force it has when it pops up and hits you in the face. So navigating strong emotions is a lot like that, but when we can acknowledge them and not push them down, then they kind of lose their power over us. So that acknowledgement and that acceptance, it's really, really important. And then understanding, so that's step one, acknowledge and accept. And then the next step is what do I need? What do I need in this moment? What do I need to do to take care of myself? And again, it's not about pushing away the feeling, but it's about caring for ourself. And so that might be taking a break from the news, taking a break from social media. Calling a friend, taking a bubble bath, going for a walk, snuggling with a loved one, snuggling with a pet, reading a good book, watching a funny movie, whatever that, whatever that is. And again, it's not about numbing. It's not about pushing away the feeling, but what is it that I need right now that can help to break this overwhelm? Maybe it's a couple of deep breaths. I've been doing a lot of meditations lately. Again, just sitting and doing the deep breathing is really, really calming for my body. So that's the second step. So first step is acceptance. Second step is asking ourselves, what do I need in this moment? And then the third step is getting into action. So once we can calm our bodies and soothe ourselves in a way that is caring and comfortable, then We can mobilize into action. So whether it's a political event or a natural disaster, and then we can ask, well, is there something that I can do? So what I love about this is that reduces that helpless feeling when we can take action and do something with whatever is going on. So whether that is getting involved in a political campaign, whether that is donating to causes that are important to you. But we have to calm our bodies and we have to really calm our nervous systems before we can get into action and before we can think clearly. Our bodies don't know the difference between being chased by a bear and watching a crazy story on the news. Our bodies are going to respond in the same way our fight or flight is going to kick in and we have to bring our bodies back into safety before we can think clearly. Because when we're running from the bear, all we're thinking of is get away from the bear. Right. So if we're triggered and if we're in fight or flight, then we have to bring down that fight or flight. And that's that acceptance that, that caring for ourself is going to help bring our bodies back into safety and calm down that fight or flight. So again, three steps, accept and acknowledge this feeling is here. The second one is calm the nervous system by doing something that cares for ourself. And then the third step is take action, do something with our executive function that is going to give us a sense of agency and give us a sense of autonomy. I'd love if you find this helpful, please go to my website at www. Thepurposefulmd. com for more tools and resources that you can use to help to calm your nervous system and help to create a life that you love with more joy. Take care. While I am a physician, the information presented in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your own healthcare provider before making any significant changes to your lifestyle or routine. By listening to this podcast you are not creating a physician patient relationship. Thank you for listening to The Purposeful MD Podcast. If you like what you hear, please rate and review the show. Please also visit my website, www. thepurposefulmd. com for free downloads or to discuss working with me as your coach.