Bye Bye Negative Thought #11

Without my degree, I’m nothing

Recently, we did some major home repairs to our leaking basement (be ready for a whole other post about that craziness). But making lemons into lemonade…I got a new home office out of the deal!

As I was hanging up my diplomas, certifications and awards, the big one slipped. You know the “big one” because if your med school was like mine, they made sure that our diplomas were the biggest of the big mamas. The frame alone could throw out your back.

So as Big Bertha was falling from the floor, my initial reaction was, “Oh shhhhhhhhhiiiiitttttt, not that one!!!!”

I immediately took a breath, opened my eyes and picked her up to look her over.

“Whew-just a crack in the frame.”

But wait, why did I freak out over a piece of paper behind glass?

It’s just a piece of paper, right?!?

Well, right and wrong.

Yes, it is a piece of paper that I could probably pay a fee to have replaced by my alumna mater. Yes, there’s no magic that upon receiving this double heavy weight paper turned me into a goddess. Yes, even without it…I’m still Errin Weisman D.O.

But also, no. There is so much more that it represents: YEARS of sweat, turmoil, tears, tests, lost sleep, early mornings, long drives, missed events, my 20s, hundreds of encounters, evaluations, $$$. When I see this piece of paper, pride and accomplishment bubble up in me. It’s kinda my adult gold star, not gonna lie!

But yet, it’s still a piece of paper that will age and probably be throw away after my departure from this life.

As I have change the course of my medical practice, I come back often to a question my coach asked me that I pose to you…

WHAT ARE THINGS THAT IF REMOVED FROM YOUR LIFE YOU WOULD BE DEVASTATED?

Back in 2014, I mentioned my family, close relationships, etc but the one answer that came up in me was when I said, “I think if I lost my medical license. Yea, if that was gone, I would be totally upset.”

Flash forward now, I’ve really learned that my identity as healer goes far beyond a piece of paper or license number assigned to me. I will always be a doctor and I bet the same for you too, friend!

If you are struggling with your practice, your place in the world, what really is most dear to you…why don’t we talk? I would love to try and help you navigate your own answers. Click HERE for more deeds! Promise no selling or sleaze. Just colleague to colleague!