Busy doctors rarely take a moment to appreciate the lessons or the burdens of the year that has passed. We sense the year’s end is nearing, not because we’ve taken the time to think back, but because discussions about holiday coverage have commenced. Someone has to work Thanksgiving. Someone is tasked with Christmas. Someone will once again miss the department celebration.

You glance at the schedule and realize: This year, it’s you.

And at that instant, a quiet sigh escapes you—not in a dramatic way, but subtle, much like how doctors sigh when we’ve been shouldering more than others recognize.

This season makes it easy to feel alone. We transition from shift to shift, patient to patient, processing our thoughts internally because there’s no one to confide in. It can feel as though you’re the sole person experiencing these challenges, particularly if you’re the only one in your specialty on a shift, particularly if your colleagues look to you for every solution, and particularly if the workplace culture encourages you to “just manage it.”

The difficulty is real. Yet, another development is occurring as you traverse this path. Something rarely talked about or acknowledged, perhaps not even by yourself.

You have also been evolving. Not in manners that medicine typically measures (RVUs, patient encounters, adjusted hours, “productivity”). You’re accumulating knowledge, honing your skills as a clinician. You’re gaining insights, recognizing what you need to flourish, not just to get by. You’re becoming a more authentic you. A new version of yourself has been quietly shaping all year long, steadily, without any fanfare.

Here’s the chance to recognize this.

**1. Seek a serene moment for introspection**

As you review the past year, what was the most significant hurdle you encountered? Perhaps it was a tough case with a grim outlook. Maybe it revolved around changes in your personal or family circumstances. Identify it now, not to relive the emotions, but to achieve clarity.

**2. Reflect on who you were during that time**

There was the version of you who presented for the team, the patients, and the meetings. Then there was the authentic you, concealed, trying not to reveal your vulnerabilities.

– Did you enter avoidance mode until you needed to confront the issue?
– Were you thrust into a fight-or-flight response, hyper-aware and preparing for impact?
– Did you allow yourself to cry in the on-call room to release your feelings before returning to duty?

This signifies your humanity, showcasing the internal patterns and survival mechanisms that medicine never encouraged us to comprehend.

**3. Now that it’s behind you, what insights did the situation provide?**

Who have you evolved into? What did this obstacle reveal regarding:

– Your resilience?
– Your quiet fortitude?
– Your adaptability?
– Your emotional depth?
– Your ability to find peace amid chaos?

Each challenge molds the next layer of your identity, even when it feels uncomfortable, unrecognized, unsupported, and undervalued.

**There are occasions to honor yourself this year.**

Even if the year didn’t unfold as your heart wished, you showed up. Acknowledge the moments:

– When a tough conversation could have unsettled you, yet you stood firm.
– When a patient’s diagnosis felt daunting, but you confronted it head-on.
– When a life change rattled you, but you persevered, one breath at a time.

You flourished through it all. A new version of you is already surfacing: more grounded, more conscious, more aligned with the doctor and the person you aspire to be.

*Stephanie Wellington is a physician, certified professional coach, and founder of Nurturing MDs, committed to assisting doctors in shifting from stress and overwhelm to ease and flow within the demanding medical profession. She enables clinicians to revitalize their careers and reconnect with their identities beyond their medical practice. She is also available on Facebook and LinkedIn.*

*When Dr. Wellington incorporated life coaching principles into her medical practice, her clinical experiences transformed. While she continues to face long shifts, critical patients, and systemic challenges, she opts to focus on solutions, prioritizing the best outcomes for her patients, her team, and herself. For over a decade, she has been teaching physicians the life strategies necessary to transform their medical careers and enhance their well-being.*

*She is a speaker, author, and winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award. If stress and overwhelm are aspects of your practice, begin with the complimentary guide: “15 Ways to Infuse New Energy.”*