"Changing a habit may be simple, but it's not easy, and the more tools used, the better." - Gretchen Rubin, Better Than Before Former New York lawyer turned happiness expert Gretchen Rubin constructed her first book The Happiness Project from blog posts framed around a year-long challenge of …
Dear Dawn: How do you decide on a specialty?
I got this comment on one of my blog posts and decided to turn it into a "Dear Dawn" post: "Thank you for your wonderful weblog and wise words! Sorry if I'm commenting where I shouldn't be, but I wasn't sure where to ask this question. I'm just a med student but I noticed you're an …
Happy Birthday: Advice I would give my 21 year old self
I turned 41 recently, which prompted me to think about how much has changed in 20 years. What would I say to that 21 year old woman, the one working away at her chemical engineering degree, falling in love with her boyfriend, trying new things like rock climbing after growing up a music nerd? Here's …
Happy Birthday: Advice I would give my 21 year old selfRead More
Introvert or extrovert? Recognize when you’re "out of your element."
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? This question has been discussed in books, articles, and social media recently, as the answer can affect big factors in our lives: how we conduct business, the success of our relationships, parenting style, and what kind of job we would be most happy …
Introvert or extrovert? Recognize when you’re "out of your element."Read More
Self-Care Triage
If you've ever had the unfortunate experience of a visit to the ER, then you or your injured party were involved in triage. Maybe you sat there waiting to be seen, wondering why others were called back before you. If your reason for showing up in the ER is less serious than another person's, you …
One Way to Gain Self-Knowledge
I have talked extensively on this blog about the importance of self-knowledge as a key to stress management and work-life balance. Knowing what makes you tick - priorities, principles, learning style, communication style, etc. - is tantamount to effectively caring for yourself when things get …