MYNIPPON

Andrea is one of my readers.  She was overwhelmed with work (she is a doctor who works with cancer patients) and family commitments and was living a very stressful life, and obviously, that made her and everyone around her unhappy.  I made several suggestions to her to change her life and work in a targeted manner to find happiness and it seems that my advice has done wonderful things for her.  This what she writes.

“Things are picking up. Job from hell, only 3 weeks left for it to end. Holiday in Tahiti is booked. Bosses have been won over. Still long hours, but light at end of tunnel.  Slightly more engaged in life now. Indulged in some new hobbies, reading on train, helping charities and eating out. Husband cooperating and compromising and we now do some fun stuff for me and we take the children along.

Started to read my academic journals again. I guess I do like my job. May not want to be the little Miss-Know-it-all now, but I do love the job. I love the fact that I can help make a person feel better about themselves, and help them physically feel better and apply for help from the government for them. I like that Chemotherapy mostly makes them live longer and with a better quality of life.

This year I learned I have a natural talent in pulling people together. For instance, I can plan a party and get a group of 30 people at a short notice. I can motivate friends to invest and to see the bigger picture. I can get a department to support a business plan. I can persuade patients to have treatment or to make a decision. I can pacify angry people too. And, I know how to have a good time!  I now stop saying ‘when I get this, I will be happy’. I just do whatever makes me happy. I sing on my way to work. I have lunch whenever I can. And I don’t care that much if things aren’t perfect. Instead of changing the world with a good original paper in a prestigious journal, I now appreciate I may just touch one person’s life every day.”