Beyond the Oxygen Mask
May we all go well beyond putting on our oxygen masks.
I used to share the idea of putting on your own oxygen mask first as a physician wellness concept.
No longer.
Oxygen masks are needed in depressurized planes in the midst of a crisis.
Aspiring to put your oxygen mask on is not wellness. It’s crisis management.
If you are in crisis- please start with an oxygen mask.
And then acknowledge that this is survival mode and just the first step towards healthier.
Oxygen masks are NOT wellness.
They are NOT a strategy for sustainable living.
They are NOT a strategy for happiness and health.
They are NOT the path to love, purpose, peace, and truly living.
Medical culture now says it's acceptable to care for yourself when you are in crisis- hence the oxygen mask analogy.
This is a first step but a far cry from what's needed.
I do appreciate that now it is considered acceptable to keep yourself from passing out.
But it isn’t enough.
Putting an oxygen mask on after you push yourself until you can barely go on is a commonplace approach in much of American society.
When we are in extremis, exhausted, or in crisis, it is considered ok to get help.
When we are on empty then it’s acceptable to take a break and rest.
It is actually important to nourish yourself well - beyond the oxygen mask- before this happens.
Our minds, bodies, spirits, and souls all need adequate nourishment in order to live a happy life.
When we are depleted, our sympathetic nervous systems are on overdrive, and we are reactive, overwhelmed, and unclear.
When we are replete and fully nourished, we can bring our best selves - sustainably.
As my book editor has had me repeatedly clarify, full nourishment goes well beyond food.
Nervous systems, hearts, and spirits also require nourishment and repletion in order to enjoy a life well-lived.
When we are replete as physicians, parents, and humans—and whatever other roles we play-- we are able to bring our best to the world.
When we are replete we are able to solve complicated multifactorial problems and manage the complexities of life in our overstretched world (and medical systems).
We are able to live and love WELL.
Whole and healthy humans and healers shouldn't be the exception.
They should be the norm.
When we are whole and healthy we can respond rather than react.
We can move forward with intention.
We can grow and evolve with ease rather than willpower.
We can see a clear path forward.
Join me for yoga - this weekend’s class was dedicated to nourishing yourself well.
Join me for a Sagrada retreat to replete yourself fully and learn all the tools to continue to do so long afterward.
Join me for mindful coaching to learn the tools that allow for full nourishment without guilt.
Whatever works for your life is the best path forward for you.
Whatever path you choose- may you all nourish yourself well- this Thanksgiving week and always.