Connect (Recharge Challenge Week 9)

What do you need more of right now?

Your brain will say: time, sleep, money, peace on earth, a functioning Epic inbox. Fair.

But this week, we’re naming the thing that quietly drives everything else: connection.

Not “more people.” Not “more social plans.”
More moments where you actually feel connected—to your people, to your purpose, and to yourself.

Because you can be surrounded all day (patients, staff, family) and still feel… nothing. Or worse: irritated, numb, braced, and already mentally leaving the room while your body is still sitting there.

This episode is a gentle—but very real—invitation to come back.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why connection is often the missing ingredient for stressed, high-functioning women physicians
• The difference between being around people and feeling connected
• The secret ingredient you can’t skip: presence
• How to recognize what connection feels like in your body (not someone else’s Pinterest version)
• Three kinds of connection to practice this week:
  1. Connection to other humans
  2. Connection to a cause/passion
  3. Connection to yourself
• The hard truth: if connection feels totally inaccessible right now, that’s not a character flaw—it’s a signal you need support
  
  

Your Week 9 Challenge: Micro Moments of Connection

Pick one focus area this week—don’t do all three unless you genuinely want to.

1. Connection to other humans

Try one “micro moment” per day:

• Put the phone down, face someone, make eye contact
• Give a real hug (not the drive-by shoulder bump)
• Share one honest sentence instead of your highlight reel
• Be fully there for 60 seconds (yes, even at the dinner table)

2. Connection to a cause or passion

If connection with people feels like… a lot right now, connect to something that matters:

• Contribute, participate, show up, or simply remember why you care
• Let your work link you to meaning (even if the system is a mess)

3. Connection to yourself

This one is underrated—and powerful:

• Notice your self-talk: is it kind, or is it a hostile attending who never goes off service?
• Try a few minutes of journaling, stillness, prayer, meditation, or a walk with no input
• Choose one moment where you stop abandoning yourself

A quick reflection (do this right now)
Think of a time you felt genuinely connected.
Ask:

• What did that feel like in my body?
• What thoughts were present?
• What made that moment possible?

Then choose your tiny practice for the week.

Because connection isn’t a grand gesture.
It’s a repeatable skill.

You’re not behind
If you’re joining mid-challenge, welcome. You can start here and still benefit immediately. And if you want the full sequence, go back to Epi