Make Your Mark

One of my favorite parts of the day is cuddle time in the evening with our kids as they are winding down for bed. Yawning and cozy, we reflect on the day that's gone and what's to come, giggle, and sing lullabies to each other. I know one day, this tradition will end and I am soaking it up as much as I can. Besides the joy of the oxytocin rush I get with these sweet embraces, I have also been inspired by some of the incredible wisdom that has emerged out of the mouths of these babes...

The other night, we somehow came upon a discussion on the meaning of life, and my 9-year-old said, 

        Maybe it's all about making your mark. 

I was shocked to hear such a profound commentary from my daughter and I feel like it so eloquently described a fundamental aspect of my vision statement for life. While I do feel that finding our joy in life is so crucial, I believe that an extension of that is the impact you choose to have on others as you pursue your passions. When we can follow our bliss and "make our mark" in a palpable and positive way, it can be so empowering for all involved.

It always throws me when patients tell me that some thing I said to them years ago significantly changed the trajectory of their health journey. I mean, we do our best to take care of patients when they come through our doors, but so often it feels that our impact ends there. Hearing these stories from patients is a reminder of the profound effect our words and actions can have, either for good or bad. This doesn't mean we need to walk on eggshells or overthink every single thing we say. On the contrary, when we can truly realize our self-efficacy and capacity for effecting change, we can help more folks take on seemingly insurmountable challenges, whether it is getting a chronic condition under control, facing the end of life with equanimity, or emerging from trauma.

I'll never forget when a patient told me after going through sexual assault that my words of encouragement from a prior visit echoed in her head and empowered her to fight back and save herself. Or the patient who finally quit smoking after the millionth time that I bothered him about it. Or the chronically anxious patient who finally found some peace when she realized her suffering and accepted treatment. These stories can easily become faded memories, but I am challenging myself to hold them in my heart more deeply, so I never lose trust in the power of compassionate presence. Just as these humans found hope and healing through connection, I, too, felt uplifted and inspired - in the human capacity for change and growth, and the part I could play in that process. This is one way that I make my mark. This is a fundamental part of my why. 

How do you make your mark? How do you want to have an impact?