002: Examining Your Own Chief Complaint

Do you know what your Chief Complaint is? Identifying the problem is the first step towards re-evaluating and resolving it. In this episode, we’re focusing on examining your own chief complaint and discussing how to work through it.   The Chief Complaint: Examining Your Own Chief Complaint  When we identify what our problem is, or as I like to refer to it in this podcast: your Chief Complaint, we start a cycle that leads towards resolving it. But what if you don’t even know what a problem actually is? First, I’m explaining exactly what a problem is. In this episode, we’re looking at reframing the way we look at and examine our problems. Whether we decide to see the problem from another perspective or change the way we think about them, there’s power in that inner shift.  I’m also talking about feelings: what they are and how they feel. The number of women who can't actually describe what their feelings feel like is surprising. We’re especially good at ignoring or buffering our negative emotions. We’re taught that it’s not okay to feel sadness or anger or anything that isn’t happiness. I encourage you to recognize your emotions, even the negative ones. And once you’ve recognized them, sit with these feelings and actually feel them. This is such an important step in order for you to move on with your day… or even your life. Next, we need to make the conscious decision whether to stay with our Chief Complaint or re-evaluate it. I get in-depth around this part of the process as this is something we all need to learn to do.  Once we understand and can re-evaluate our Chief Complaints, we can move on from it. Ladies, this method doesn’t just work on one area of your life. You can apply it to every single aspect in your life!   Homework Recognize your feelings. What do they feel like? Are they hot? Where are they? Sit with these emotions and truly examine them. Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode  What a problem actually is Why you need to reframe how you look at your problems Why you need to understand how your feelings feel How some people buffer their negative emotions Why you need to recognize and sit with your emotions How you can decide whether you want to stay with the chief complaint or re-evaluate it How you can apply this method to any aspect of your life   Quotes  “Your brain has these developed pathways. These developed pathways are repeated thoughts that have happened for years so they actually become beliefs. The HPI (History of Present Illness) is essentially you making a thesis on why your Chief Complaint is accurate.” (8:12) “You can buffer your negative emotion with exercise and you might see it as doing something good for yourself - which you are doing something good for yourself - but in terms of dealing with your emotional and your mental health, it’s super important to address the feeling, the negative emotion, that you’re having and then go on your run.” (13:33) “Once you can sit with any emotion, you have now gained the power to handle anything.” (14:07)   Resources Mentioned Get a FREE 30-Day Trial to the Live Coaching Society! Find Life Coaching for Women Physicians Online Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky and Mind Body Marriage on Facebook | Instagram  Subscribe to Life Coaching for Women Physicians on Apple Podcasts Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative