It has been an observation of mine, that patients value their doctor’s genuine care as much as they do their clinical acumen or surgical expertise. Care is something that you wear on your sleeve. When you don’t care about what you do or who you are serving, it is blatantly obvious. This does not just apply to medicine. It’s important in everything we do.

Whether you are an accountant; a sales rep; a chef; or an a volunteer worker, care is fundamental. Imagine going to a fancy restaurant where the table is set beautifully, the food presented magnificently, but you get a grumpy waiter or waitress. It completely spoils the entire experience. We value genuine care and service as much we value intelligence and ingenuity. And when we truly, genuinely, passionately put care into our work, the benefits multiply exponentially. There is an unseen element to caring that seems to make a world of difference.

Observe a child. From a young age they have a natural tendency to care. They want to get involved. They want to help. They want to care. It is an intrinsic quality we all have. So what makes people stop caring? What makes people function like robots with no feeling or emotion? What makes people lose their love and zest for life? There are so many reasons. Often people get “stuck” doing something they don’t enjoy anymore. Their job becomes “just a job”. Or it can be due to too much work and being too busy. Or it can be due to any number of external stressors: money, relationships, health, or loss. Lack of care is something that can happen if we are not careful about how we live our lives.

If you’ve fallen into that rut, start by slowing things down. Take a breather. Watch a sunset. Observe a child playing in the park. And start bringing the care factor back into your world. Care brings life back into everything you do. And the amazing thing about care, is that it comes back like boomerang towards you.

Caring, without doubt is good for our health!

Be Well

In Health and Wellness