Walking Through the Mess

Yesterday, as my daughter and I took a walk together, we noticed a family of geese doing the very same thing. It was so cute, we had to stop for a photo.  It struck me that we humans aren’t so different from other animals.  At that moment we were just two families, out for a stroll.

But here’s where we differ.   The geese don’t have endless mental thoughts and to-do lists running through their minds while they are out for a stroll. Then my swirling thoughts shifted to the field full of goose poop we were navigating to get to the beach.  It made me think about work.

As a pediatrician in a busy office, it can feel like navigating a minefield of poop. The pressures of volume, documentation, and system demands can feel endless.  The emotional fatigue is real. But over time, I’ve noticed something.  There’s a difference between my clients and colleagues who enjoy their jobs and those who don’t.

Here are some tips to help you practice medicine with more clarity, intention, and even joy:

• Choose your "where" intentionally. Your setting matters. Some environments are more supportive, values-aligned, and sustainable than others. You deserve to work in a place where you can thrive.

• Surround yourself with the right "who".  Your team, leadership, and colleagues shape your day-to-day experience. Do they lift you up or drain you? Do they create psychological safety? These relationships matter more than we think.

• Pay attention to the "how." This is your mindset. Do you approach your work with curiosity or cynicism? Are you operating from alignment or obligation? Coaching, mindfulness, boundaries, and community can help you shift how you show up.

• Reconnect with your "why." Why did you go into medicine in the first place? What still lights you up? Rediscovering your purpose can reorient you.

• Don't ignore the mess, but don’t stare at it all day. Prior-auths and EHR documentation are part of the day. But so is your patient’s “thank you” or if you’re lucky enough to be a pediatrician, your patient’s hug. Don’t ignore those joyous moments.

• Know when it's time to find a new path. If you’re in a place where you’re not just dodging messes but feel like you’re being shoved into them, held there, and blamed for the smell, it may be time to go. You have options.

• Protect your joy. Healthcare is intense. Balance the stress with fun, laughter, and connection. These are not extra, they’re essential.

  
  

We’re not geese. We think, we plan, we worry. But we also get to choose how we walk through this field. And yes, it’s a field full of poop. But there’s space between the piles. There’s sunlight. There’s beauty. There’s movement. There’s meaning.

You get to decide how you navigate it.

And if you step in something along the way?

Wipe it off. Laugh if you can. Keep going.

You’re not alone out here. And the view is still worth it.