What To Say When You Don't Know What To Say

This has been a heavy few weeks, and honestly, I just feel sad. Sad about the global hurt, sad about my friends who act like nothing is going on, sad that this is even an issue in 2020 and sad that despite all the good work and intentions, change is going to be a hard journey uphill. 

Sometimes, I just want to escape when things get hard - escape to my bed, to the beach, or to some far off land. The beautiful thing about COVID is that we do not have that luxury right now - we have to sit and wallow and feel those deep emotions until we work through them.

I hear a lot of people saying, “I want to help, but I don’t know what to do”, or “I want to say something, but I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing”.  It’s easy to say nothing or ignore conversations when they are uncomfortable, but we need to lean in to those moments as that is how we will all grow. 

This week, let’s prioritize healing - in ourselves and others.

As a healthcare provider, I can open to the door :

I can ask people how they are doing as the people who I serve may be hurting, even when they have a smile on their face.

I can pay attention to my coworkers and how they are feeling, and by being sensitive, kind and fair in my interactions with everyone.

I can ask people how I can support them; many patients feel grateful when receiving care and are afraid to ask for anything else, but we have a lot of resources within our reach and can be of great help. 

I can ask my patients picking up a refill prescription if they are noticing results and experiencing any side effects that I can counsel them on. 

I can ask people about their wellness, their sleep, and how they are feeling today to give them an open door to talk if they need to.

I can start with me, because change will and always starts with YOU. If not one is following or listening, continue to shine your light bright. You never know when you will touch the right person.

“Understanding someone’s suffering is the best gift you can give another person. Understanding is love’s other name. If you don’t understand, you can’t love.” - Thich Nhat Hanh