Hello to All,
One of the ways to grow your resilience is by finding meaning in your work. Although we all know that we do something important as healthcare providers, when faced with a tough shift, or a rough week, we may lose sight of why we chose our careers in the first place. In a recent seminar that I attended, the lecturer was discussing exactly this topic, knowing that the participants were all involved in high stress jobs. She introduced us to Dr. Viktor Frankl's groundbreaking work on finding meaning in life(see attached), that teaches us even when faced with stress and/or adversity, we have a choice on how we respond. One of his most famous quotes is," Between the stimulus and the response is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom". One of the practices he recommended, called STOPP, can easily be done a few times a day, as a means of connecting with your feelings. The acronym is as follows:
Stop what you are doing.
Take a breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Observe how you are feeling at the moment. What are your thoughts? Where is your focus? What are you reacting to?
Perspective-look at the big picture. How important is whatever you are focusing on? What would you say to a trusted friend in this situation? Is the point of your focus something that is long term? Most often, the answer is "no".
Proceed. What is the most helpful thing for me to do right now? What is the most helpful thing for me, others, and the situation? Do whatever is most effective and practical.
During the next few weeks, try incorporating this practice into your day and see if it makes a difference in how you feel about your workday.
Have a great week! Stay safe!
Best,
Dr. Heidi Levine
Activities
Calling all ED staff! If you enjoy taking pictures of nature, please send me a photo! Your photo will be printed and hung up in the E.D. for all of us to enjoy!
Check out the Cradle of Aviation Museum. https://www.cradleofaviation.org/
https://events.longisland.com/dates/11-9-2021/ Pick a date and see what's going on in and around Long Island.
https://www.discoverlongisland.com/10-things-november/. Don't miss the seal walk or wallabie encounter!
picture from: https://www.wakeupandsmelltherosay.com/blog/stopp-and-take-control