Health is not a static, achievable status.

Health is an ongoing, dynamic process.

And I believe that health can be redefined for patients.

We can call patients to participate in their health. Not look to fix it.

For providers to redefine health for their patients,

Providers must first redefine their professional roles.

Reinvest in the dynamic nature of our ‘practice.’ Not fixing a static problem.

For providers to reinvest in their practices,

We must first redefine ourselves.

Reinvest in the nature of who we are,

What gifts we have.

And how we can find joy and fulfillment each day.

All that to say,

We can see it all another way.

We can see more.

Maybe this is not you,

But you still may be interested in some of the observations I have found to have profound impact on how I saw, how I see, and where I want to see.

I would hope that one can quickly deduce that the structural breakdown is not exclusive to the healthcare industry. It pervades much of our business world today. And, too, throughout all of our world, professional and personal.

There are certain constructs/ideas in society that have shaped and continue to inform how we see ourselves, career, people.

If we look into them,

Behind them,

We can see how we lost sight of our true selves, true nature of business, our connection with people.

We can see a truer way;

What’s beyond conventional constructs.

Not too long ago,

I was climbing.

I believed that once I attained a certain position, then I would be accomplished.

But it turned into the next thing, then the next, then the next…

Once I get a graduate degree, then I will have made it.

Once I got the degree, then I needed the right job.

Once I get the right job, and the right mentorship, the right continuing education courses, enough experience, a following, a career established, then I will be in…

Somewhere along the way, early on, I was given/I learned the narrative telling the story that my value was in my competency.

How well I not only knew information, but how I wielded that information – how I used it,

Mastered it,

How well I could teach it,

Compared to others’ understanding.

Set apart as an individual,

Intelligence and the sort would leave me

Worthy of societal acceptance.

It turned into a vicious cycle –

Once I master the next concept/system, then I will be accepted. Then I will have proved my worth.

It also seemed to have invaded my personal world –

Once I complete a marathon, then I will be fulfilled.

I Completed a marathon, and then it became about the next thing –

Once I race a 100-mile mountain bike race, then I will have arrived.

After that,

Once I race a 50-mile trail run, then I will be complete.

After that,

Once I run 100-mile trail run then I will be worthy.

And after that-

I actually failed at that one. Only made 70 miles. 30 miles short.

There are many, many constructs handed to us in one way or another that help shape what we need to do

to be accepted,

to be validated, seen,

to be fulfilled  –

The work hard to climb the ladder, sacrifice now, climb and be rewarded at the top

Shaped by misconstrued religious notions and questionable business theory of the 1970s.

The notion of greater community, connectivity, and relation

Shaped by the shadows of social media.

The loss of patience, meditative practice, wonder, stillness,

shaped and lost by the immediacy and plethorativity that is the internet.

The notion of reward and acceptance because of accomplishments,

Shaped by Santa Claus?

The reductionistic nature attaining status and possessions to fulfill us and understand the world, soul, etc,

Shaped by the construct of Newtonian Physics.

To only mention a few (and not explain a one).

A number of (false) narratives exist and we end up embracing one that shapes our idea of self-value and who we think we need to be

To be seen and accepted.

It has been labeled the ego, persona, false-self, etc.

One may need to perfect and provide order to the world to establish their value.

One may need to serve and find their value in helping others.

Another may find value in their success; achievements.

Mine was-is in observing and gathering information, wisdom, etc.

A few others (5, in fact) were omitted here (for brevity’s sake).

*

And we may also believe that our fulfillment is found in what we do

As in what we do for a living.

We think our fulfillment lies in what our hands produce each day.

And it all may ‘work’ for awhile.

And then something happens.

And changes it all.

And it doesn’t ‘work’ so well anymore.

You try it harder to keep it ‘working’,

But whatever it was,

That way no longer ‘works’ for you;

Whether you know it or not.

We become disenchanted,

Distrusting,

Disillusioned,

disconnected.

Some of us are burned out.

Some see their job as an obstruction to the weekend or the things we enjoy.

We have been burned. People have hurt us.

And some of us are looking for what to do next,

Whether we know it or not.

We have an opportunity to rebuild a foundation.

We can observe current constructs.

We can then deconstruct

And begin to reconstruct with portions of the old with flavors of the new.

Just because something is said by many, has been excepted for some time, and is considered an standard or norm,

Does not mean that it should continue

to be accepted,

be seen as a standard,

Or prevent a new way to be constructed.

We have an opportunity to see ourselves for who we actually are.

By looking inward, we can see beyond what we project we want to be.

Find who we were intended to be

By understanding our unique motivation,

Unveiling what our true gift and light is to the ourselves and those around us.

Just because there are expectations as to who we should be and how we should be

Does not mean that we would lose our value

or acceptance

Rediscovering who we really are.

*

We have an opportunity to clarify the why behind our action.

Our engine,

That constant driver

Towards our fulfillment.

Just because we have been defined by or seek our value in what we do or produce,

Does not mean that we lose it all

By rediscovering our direction and fulfillment

That we have what we’ve been looking for the whole time.

We have an opportunity to dream of more.

We are asked to rediscover a truer way to see things.

We are asked to reconnect to our truer selves.

We are asked to restore our fulfillment.

They don’t have to be found in

my observations,

my insights.

But I do encourage you to accept the invitation to look for more, wherever you find it.

By Dr Adam Fujita DPT