Newsletter
February, 2012 - How to be Resilient from LA COOP, PA
Hello!
As many of you know, La Coop has recently undergone some renovations. Not only in my art, but also in my assistant. Angela has been with me for over two weeks now and I am glad to have her.
With this transition time, there were some difficulties and this is going to be the subject of the newsletter this month: Overcoming obstacles and the ability to do it with finesse versus falling flat on your face.
Everyone has obstacles, including me and we are going to go through tough times together in this letter. One of the primary characteristics and personal qualities that enables people to overcome difficult times and to adapt is called resilience. Another quality that you need to get through tough times is called patience. Finally, you need to develop a cool head under pressure. That's a sure sign of someone who has got it together.
Below we will go through the thought process and the actions that one needs to adopt in the face of a difficult situation.
Until next time!
Dr. L
How to handle the tough times like a champ!
We have all run into bad situations at one time or another. Just when you think that you are on a roll and you can then focus on something more than the basics - life throws you a curveball.
Ex. In my situation my assistant left with no notice. I was seeing a patient, and then I heard a knock on the door and she gave me her keys and she was out the door. No notice, no debriefing so I would know what is still pending - NOTHING. And to make things worse, I was in the middle of seeing a patient and had a full day of patients waiting for me. This isn't the patient's problem or fault. I need to be there for them, but at the same time the reality is that if I don't take care of my business I can't do what I love which is to take care of patients.
So, what do you do?
First, take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can.
There is an actual physiological purpose for this maneuver. When you take in a deep breath and allow your lungs to expand, they hug your heart (they squeeze it a bit) and that tells your heart to slow down. This also gives you a minute to think.
Assess the situation.
You have to prioritize what needs to be done now and what can be put off until you get your bearings.
Ex. I needed to finish seeing my patient to make sure that she was well.
Reinforce your foundation.
You need to be sure that you have a stable foundation on which to handle this difficult circumstance. It's tough enough that you have been thrown the curveball, why don't you look for someone or something that can help you hit it out of the park! To do that, you need to identify resources. If you must do things alone, then you must, but if you have a way to bring in some reinforcements that will not only help you emotionally, but it will help you disperse some of the pressure onto others to best utilize your reserve capacity.
Ex. Once she left, I called my husband to let him know what I was going through. This provided me some comfort and support. I then contacted my previous assistant who retired to see if she could help me out (Talya is an angel and helped without hesitation). My husband (superstar that he is) tied up loose ends at his company to help me answer the phones which took a load off.
Identify and utilize your strengths
You didn't get to where you are now because you are lucky. You got here because of skill. Remember that. It's difficult in bad times to see anything good, but remember there is good there though it's a little difficult to see.
Ex. I'm a diligent and hard worker who has empathy for others. All of you rallied around me and gave me support. You realized that I was a one man team for a while and you gave me a little time to get things together. You gave me words of encouragement that meant a lot. Also, I didn't always have an assistant and I just went back to coming in early and staying late to get the job done. It was tough, but possible.
Finally, take another deep breath and pat yourself on the back once you've overcome the problem. You knew you could do it!!
One final note. I just wanted to thank you all for being patients of mine. I know that you could go and see any doctor and I appreciate that you put your faith in me to help you toward your goals.
Thank you!
Dr. L
