Abstract
As burnout rates continue to increase across all divisions of healthcare providers (Dyrbye and Shanafelt, JAMA 305:2009–2010, 2011), there has never been a greater time to work on our interior lives. Surely the exterior aspects of medicine are not going to manifest appreciable improvements in mitigating stress in the near future. We can control our reactions and attitudes to our conditions.
An essential trait of the resilient physician is a forgiving spirit. A forgiving mindset will yield immeasurable dividends on our emotional lives. Forgiveness is essential in safeguarding oneself from experiencing negative emotions, including despondency and emotional depletion (Chan, Teach Teach Educ 32:22–30, 2013). Forgiveness also yields innumerable health benefits since it lowers adrenaline and cortisol levels—hormones which exact their health toll when excessive (Worthington and Scherer, Psychol Health 19:385–405, 2004).
In truth, anger and hostility can wreak havoc on our heart health, as the chronic effects of heightened blood pressure and vasoconstriction are the bane of coronary arteries (Miller et al., Psychol Bull 119:322, 1996). Our bodies are ill-equipped to handle continual surges of adrenaline that an angry disposition harbors. Resilient people—those that can “bounce back” from adversity—all share one common characteristic: a forgiving spirit to others and themselves (Tuck and Anderson, Issues Ment Health Nurs 35:277–282, 2014).
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References
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Tomorrow, Try This
Tomorrow, Try This
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Recognize the toll an unforgiving sprit is exacting on your health and personal joy.
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Practice mindfulness. When we are present, all former hurts vanquish.
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Own “your stuff.” What pushes one’s buttons hold the key to healing an old childhood wound.
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Be a love finder … not a fault finder. Looking for the good and practicing gratitude for the merits in another will dissipate all that may irk you in that person.
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Practice compassion. By seeing the world through another’s eyes, one will usually find the reasons for offensive behavior.
“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies,” as Nelson Mandela stated.
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Kelly IV, J.D., Kelly, A.M. (2018). Forgiveness. In: The Resilient Physician. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61220-1_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61220-1_3
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