Given the reality of healthcare, thinking about ease and pleasure at work, seems like the impossible dream. All the various demands, the feelings of you’ve got to do it on your own and the unending documentation and regulations limit your vision of what is possible.
Recently, I saw Man of LaMancha, a beautiful, sad and inspiring story with great music. At one point a fellow prisoner brings up the idea that poets are fascinated by madmen and accuses the main character, a poet/playwright of “turning his back on life.” The response is “we select from life … I’ve seen life as it is.” The end of the monologue is “And maddest of all is to see life as it is and not as it should be!”
One of the privileges of being in healthcare is that you get to deal with all kinds of people in painful and occasionally inspiring situations. You have to see life as it is.
I left the show thinking about what is the importance of dealing with reality as it is and what is the value of thinking about the world as it should be. It seems to me that dealing as if the world is “as it should be” prevents us from making the real impact that we want because we’re not starting with what is, the current reality.
On the other hand, “what could be” seems both reality based and offers hope. There are hospitals where respect and collaboration are part of the routine. There are healthcare practices where authentic appreciation and recognition occur on a daily basis. There are places where the workload reflects the strengths of the providers while also encouraging growth. There are healthcare professionals who are energized, have strong relations with peers and patients and can see their impact.
- What could your work experience be like?
- What needs to happen for you to experience well-being where you work?
- What is possible when you look to the future with optimistic realism?
To explore these questions and develop courage and a plan to achieve your well-being, contact me.
Dina
Improving well-being for healthcare professionals through coaching.
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