I had a great conversation with Dr. Errin Weisman in this podcast interview about my personal pursuit of contentedness. 

Per Merriam-Webster dictionary, contented is an adjective meaning:  feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.  Contentedness is the noun of that feeling.

Some of us experience a mid-career ennui.  As life finally starts to settle down, the new calm can feel like a void because we are so used to working to achieve the next milestone.  Especially for those of us in medicine, we have been running for so many years from one step to the next; undergrad, MCAT, med school, USMLE, residency, board exams, fellowships, etc.  It is non-stop for 12+ years.  As that is finishing up, some may be getting married, trying to start a family, buy their first home, succeed in their job, or spend time with their young children.  But as the years post-training pass, and the high-adrenaline pace of those years fades into the distance, we may find ourselves in a lull.

Most of us have always been high-achievers and might not know how to just sit down and enjoy the temporary quietude. We don’t know how to sink into and experience contentedness.

In this podcast conversation, I share my experiences trying to fill every moment of my time, starting a non-profit and running a school, and how I deal with the challenges of time passing and embracing contentedness.

Take a listen and drop a comment or question below!