Stop Waiting to Feel Better
Feb 27, 2026
If you’re a woman physician, chances are you’ve lived much of your career in “when/then” thinking.
I’ll feel confident when I’m attending.
I’ll rest when my notes are done.
I’ll enjoy life when this season is over.
This mindset feels practical — even responsible. But it quietly postpones positive emotion and trains your nervous system to live in vigilance rather than joy.
Psychologists describe something called the “arrival fallacy.” We believe a milestone will create lasting happiness. But after a brief emotional lift, we adapt. Our baseline returns. The goalpost moves.
Medicine reinforces this dynamic. There is always another stage. Another credential. Another achievement.
If you keep attaching your emotional life to external wins, you will always be waiting.
The work is not abandoning ambition. The work is uncoupling it from permission.
You can want growth and practice joy now.
You can pursue excellence and rest now.
You can be imperfect and still feel worthy now.
In Episode 217 of Ending Physician Overwhelm, we explore how to break the habit of postponing happiness and start practicing positive emotion in real time.
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And if you’re ready to do this work in a deeper way, schedule a 1:1 discovery call here:
https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call
Stop waiting to feel better.
Your life is happening now.
Hi There!
I'm Megan. I'm a Physician and a Life Coach and a Mom. I created this blog to help other Physicians and Physician-Moms learn more about why they feel exhausted, burned-out and overwhelmed, and how to start to make changes. I hope that you enjoy what you read, and that it helps you along your journey. And hey, if you want to talk about coaching with me, I'm here for that too! I offer a free 1:1 call to see if we are a good fit. Click the button below to register today.
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