Happiness and medical school - a juxtaposition of two very contradictory terms. It's been six weeks into medical school and the word "happiness" has hardly popped up. The medical school daily grind is so intense and consuming that you start to lose sight of the concept of happiness. It's not intentional, and it's not as if you are unhappy. It's just that happiness really doesn't have much relevance to your life anymore.
I have at least been trying to keep a balanced existence, but as the lectures pile up and the content becomes more difficult to get through, the balance starts to slip... gradually and subtly. Whereas weeks ago I was meeting up with friends, exercising, eating balanced meals and calling my friends and family, I now find myself rushing through boxed dinners, sending quick "Hi, love you, I'm busy" texts to my mom and completely forgetting that a thing called exercise even exists. Except for when I happen to look at myself in the mirror... then I remember "exercise" and the complete lack of its existence in my life with startling clarity.
II certainly don't want to live the rest of my medical school life in this state of "I'm too busy to remember I have a life!" I have to remind myself of how blessed I am to even be here, and that I have a choice with how I want to live. No one forced me to be here - no one is forcing me to study all the time. It really is all about finding the right balance with strategic time management... and I really am trying to get there. I want to enjoy medical school while still enjoying my life at the same time.
I also want to be HAPPY. I want to see each day as a beautiful new day, with meaningful moments and interactions. I want to be conscious of each day and mindful of its possibilities. This article I stumbled upon was a great reminder for me:
The Habits of Supremely Happy People
Yes, I'm deciding to be a HAPPY medical student!
