76. Gaining Momentum by Being Curious with Dr. Marion McCrary

Sep 29

Change is difficult. When situations change, we enter the unknown. We may fear losing opportunities or making the wrong choice. Today’s guest wants us to embrace change and approach it with an open mind. In this way, curiosity, the opposite of dread, can lead us to greater things.

When considering a change:

Examine your limiting beliefs
Learn from others who have gone before you
Determine your priorities
Ask for help from your support group

Listen to Episode 76 Here

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About Dr. Marion McCrary

Dr. Marion McCrary is an experienced primary care internal medicine physician and a national board-certified integrative health and wellness coach. She is passionate about physician wellness and serves as the Well-Being Champion for the NC chapter of the American College of Physicians.

Dr. McCrary is also a coach for ACP and AMWA leadership programs. Her newest role is the Associate Director for GME Coaching at her home institution and she is looking forward to guiding residents and fellows in their professional and personal development. She is also a writer and a podcaster. She is one of the co-creators and hosts of the ResetMD podcast where physicians have conversations about what has sustained their well-being.

Self-Examination is Part of Making Changes in Your Life

In this episode, Dr. McCrary describes how to break away from the daily grind. These aren’t decisions to be made on a whim. It takes time to examine limiting beliefs and understand how to move forward. Big changes require big introspection. Self-reflection is necessary to move forward in an informed way.

When embraced with a sense of curiosity, transitions are an invaluable time to learn about yourself. You’ll see just how much control over your circumstances you really have. It’s also great for your confidence to see that you can take risks and turn out okay.

Change as a Solution to Burnout

One of the instigators of change is burnout. We discuss common causes of burnout. When you say yes to too much or lack the support you need, exhaustion is a natural consequence.

Dr. McCrary wants us to fight burnout by instituting whatever control we have. Take control over your thoughts and time. Set boundaries, even when it involves tough conversations.

Reflect and take stock of your priorities. Once you know these, you can live according to them. Don’t let a day go by without doing what you want with it.

Homework for Women Physicians

What is a big change are you considering? How can you take stock of your priorities to move forward with it? Leave a comment below!

In This Episode

How Marion got her momentum back after feeling stuck [3:00]
Finding the confidence to embrace change [8:00]
What you can learn about yourself when you enter the unknown [13:20]
Common causes of burnout and how physicians can address them [16:30]
Learning to say no and finding strength in it [20:50]

Quotes

“You get to decide. When I started really addressing those for myself - realizing that I could think about things differently - that’s when a little bit of that confidence starts to build up” [9:50]

“You’re not the only person who is going through this. There’s a lot of other people who may be thinking the same way. You can support each other as you do it.” [10:22]

“That time to really put myself out there, be creative, see the results, has been really helpful for me to build confidence.”[15:23]