My Word for 2025: Integration

Episode Summary:

Happy New Year, friends! As we step into 2025, I’m sharing my word for the year: Integration. It’s a concept I believe we’re all seeking, even if we haven’t quite named it. Integration is about feeling present, grounded, and whole—showing up as your full self at work, at home, and in your body.

In this episode, I explore what it means to cultivate integration as a busy physician, and how this can shift the way we approach our work, relationships, and self-care. We’re talking about breaking free from perfectionism, acknowledging the systems that challenge us, and reclaiming a sense of connection and purpose in our lives.

What We Cover in This Episode:

• What Integration Means: Feeling connected to yourself, your emotions, and your values while being present with others.
• Why We Struggle with Integration: Years of training and conditioning have taught us to put our needs last, leaving us disconnected and stuck in survival mode.
• How to Cultivate Integration at Home:
  • Creating boundaries between your physician identity and your personal relationships.
  • Identifying what you need to feel present and connected after a long day.
• Integration at Work:
  • Understanding the realities of your time and resources to avoid mismatched expectations.
  • Aligning your work with your values—or recognizing when it’s time to move on.
• Reconnecting with Your Body:
  • Simple practices to feel grounded and meet your basic physical needs like sleep, nutrition, and movement.
  • Tuning into your emotions and building a better relationship with yourself.

Key Takeaways:

1. Integration is the Opposite of Survival Mode: It’s about reclaiming connection, not just “getting through the day.”
2. Small, Intentional Steps Matter: Whether it’s setting boundaries, reflecting on misaligned values, or taking a breath to reconnect with your body, integration is built moment by moment.
3. We Don’t Need to Be Robots: Efficiency isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up as your full, human self in alignment with your values.

Actionable Steps for Integration:

• Take 30 seconds before entering your home or next patient room to check in with your body. What do you need in this moment?
• Reflect on your work environment: Are your expectations aligned with your reality?
• Identify one boundary to protect your personal time this week.

Work with Me:

If integration resonates with you, I’d love to support you. Whether it’s through my group coaching program Unbound or one-on-one sessions, I’m here to help women physicians reclaim their lives and reconnect with themselves.

Let’s make 2025 a year of integration and intentionality.