Today I happened upon the always-lovely Jen of Studio330, fearless leader of Sunday night Meds Yoga.
Though briefly interrupted by a gentleman with a large walking stick and a bone to pick, we had the chance to chat at length about cats, the capacity of Studio330, and my 365 day challenge.
In this context, we discussed authenticity.
On reflection, I realised I hadn't really covered the topic of authenticity to any depth in my blog posts. I think it's an important idea to discuss, since it motivates this challenge in a substantial way.
One of the questions I ask when I see myself or my colleagues, teachers, and mentors eating junk food, managing stress poorly, or failing to be even minimally physically active is how we can take care of other when we don't take care of ourselves. Of course, I mean that in quite a literally way - how can we maintain the stamina and strength we need to get through long days and nights thinking clearly and critically if we are not, ourselves, well? But part of the role of the physician is, I believe, to lead by example, to educate, and to advocate for healthy practices.
How, then, can we be effective health care providers if we can't communicate healthy practices with the authenticity that comes from living them?
I recognise that as health care providers - doctors, nurses, residents, students, and allied health professionals - our lives are busy and often stressful. It's hard to create time and space for eating well, being physically active, and managing our own mental health. Shifts are long. Patients are sometimes demanding. Our colleagues and teachers are frequently even more demanding. As students, we leave the wards only to go home and hit the books for hours.
Yet, I believe patients often know when we are bullshitting them, even when our intentions are good and we think we are truly too busy to exercise..
Sometimes it's pretty easy to tell from physical appearance and bodily habitus that someone eats too much sugar, fat, or processed crap, and sometimes it's not at all obvious. Similarly, sometimes you don't need too keen an eye to recognise that someone hasn't seen the inside of a gym, pool, or pair of running shoes in a long time, and sometimes it's more difficult. Either way, patients know when we are giving them a song and dance. They know that even when we are telling them to think positive we sometimes feel their chances are bleak. They know when we are unsure of ourselves. And they certainly know when we aren't practicing what we preach.
I'm not sure whether it's because we don't speak with confidence when we tell them that it's not so hard to take a half hour out of their busy day to go for a walk. Maybe it's because we cast our eyes to the side when we suggest they cut out sugary drinks. Or maybe it's just that feeling we all get when we are speaking with someone who is not speaking with integrity.
I truthfully don't know what it is that lets patients know we aren't speaking from a place of honesty, but I don't want to become that health care provider you just can't trust.
I want to lead by healthy example, and I want to encourage you to, as well.
