{With our new family dog, Levi}
Whenever I visit my parents’ home, I regress to a childlike state and become the complete opposite of how I am in my normal, adult life (i.e. instead of my usual high stress, on edge, active, rigid self, I wake up late, lounge around in sweats, and enjoy writing “nothing” on my to-do list). Hence, I’ve taken a brief mental break to reset/recharge and in my relaxed state, I realize this is the first time in eight years that I’ve had time off during the holiday (consider 2 years of hospital rotations during medical school, 4 years of residency training, and 2 years being the newbie doctor at my first job). I initially felt guilty about being away from the clinic for so long, but am aware that my ability to provide quality care declines the more burned out and overwhelmed I feel. I know how hard it can be to prioritize yourself, especially if you’re the caregiving type who’s used to putting others’ well-being before your own. I hope you are able to find time to care for yourself during the remainder of the year, and if not this year, then consider as a possible New Year’s resolution to put self-care amongst the top of your list.