Your Energy is a Gift: Stop Giving it Away So Freely
January 15, 2025
As Physicians, we're conditioned to give our energy freely - to patients, colleagues, family, and even random social media debates. But what if we started treating our energy like the precious gift it is?
The Cost of Giving Too Freely
Think about a typical day. How much energy do you spend on:
Reading triggering social media posts and their comments
Drafting and deleting responses to online debates
Processing unsolicited advice about your parenting
Managing others' opinions about your choices
Engaging with people who drain rather than uplift
Each of these moments takes a piece of your finite energy reserve. When we give this gift too freely, we're left with less for what truly matters.
Recognizing Energy Drains
Social media often serves as the perfect example of misplaced energy. How many times have you:
Scrolled past a triggering post, only to go back and read it
Started typing an angry response, then deleted it
Spent emotional energy processing comments from strangers
Let online interactions affect your mood for hours
These scenarios represent energy given to situations that have no real impact on your life. The same applies to family members offering unsolicited advice or people questioning your choices as a Physician mom.
The Power of Protection
When you start viewing your energy as a gift, everything shifts. You begin considering whether a person or situation deserves your gift, whether an interaction will serve your growth or peace, and if engaging aligns with your values and goals. This perspective transforms how you approach both daily interactions and larger life decisions.
Creating Meaningful Boundaries
Protecting your energy doesn't mean closing yourself off. Instead, it means being intentional about where you invest this precious resource. In social media spaces, this might mean skipping triggering posts instead of engaging. In personal relationships, it could involve declining discussions about parenting choices or redirecting unsolicited advice. Professionally, it means choosing battles worth fighting and focusing energy on meaningful impact.
The Result: More Peace
When you stop giving your energy away freely, you create space for what truly matters. This preservation allows for deeper connections with people who matter, more presence with your children, better focus at work, and increased emotional resilience. Most importantly, it fosters greater overall peace in your life.
Moving Forward
Your energy is one of your most valuable assets. As a Physician mom, you need this resource for your patients, your family, and yourself. Start treating it like the precious gift it is.
Choose carefully who receives this gift. Remember - not everyone deserves access to your energy, and that's okay. Save it for the people and purposes that truly matter in your life.
The next time you feel pulled to give your energy away, pause and ask: "Does this deserve my gift?"
Your peace is worth protecting. Your energy is worth preserving. And you get to decide who receives this precious gift.
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