Sand Between Shifts

Tag: mindfulness

  • When the Unexpected Happens: Learning to Stay Steady

    There’s this moment, maybe you’ve felt it too, when something at work veers off the usual path. A monitor flashes a reading you’ve never seen before. A process suddenly fails. A piece of equipment you’ve relied on a hundred times decides today is the day it won’t work. And you’re the one standing there, expected to know what to do.

    In those moments, my mind races. My stomach tightens. I can feel the heat rise in my face. I’ve always had this tendency to get anxious when something unfamiliar pops up, especially at work. It’s like my nervous system doesn’t pause to ask, “Is this truly an emergency?” before launching into full-blown alarm mode.

    In healthcare, sometimes it is a matter of life and death. Our environments are fast-paced and high-stakes, and a certain level of vigilance becomes second nature. But not everything is a crisis. Some things are just unexpected. Unfamiliar. Inconvenient. Solvable.

    And still, I’ve noticed how quickly I jump to worst-case thinking, how I internalize the problem, replay every moment, and get stuck in my head even after the issue is resolved. The self-awareness is there, for better or worse. I recognize my overreactions almost as soon as they happen, which can be both a gift and a frustration. I see the spiral as it’s happening, and I wish I could stop it in its tracks.

    Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what it would look like to have a more grounded, measured response when things don’t go as planned. To slow down before reacting. To trust that I’m capable, even when the problem is new. To remind myself that I don’t have to know everything to find a solution and that most challenges can be worked through with time, teamwork, and a deep breath.

    Perspective is powerful. I just wish I could access it in the moment, not just in hindsight. Because when I zoom out, once the moment has passed, I can see how inflated my reaction was. How the thing that felt catastrophic was really just… a hiccup. A lesson. An opportunity to practice resourcefulness.

    So here’s what I’m working on: giving myself more grace when the unexpected happens. Building a mental pause button. Letting the first wave of emotion pass before deciding how to act. And asking myself: is this truly urgent, or just unfamiliar?

    Not every problem needs panic. Some just need patience.

    If you’re wired like me, if you feel things deeply and react quickly, I see you. It’s hard to change the wiring. But even the smallest shifts in awareness can soften the response. And maybe, over time, those small shifts become our new baseline.

    We’re all learning. We’re all adapting. And with each unexpected moment, we get the chance to try again.

  • Navigating Change as a Team

    Lately, there’s been a noticeable shift in the tide at work. Some teammates are setting off for new horizons, whether chasing fresh opportunities, realigning their priorities, or simply following where life is leading them. At the same time, new colleagues are arriving, full of potential and navigating the delicate dance of learning the ropes in a fast-paced, intricate environment.

    Transitions like this are never easy.

    Change can feel like a disruption, even when it ultimately brings improvement. It pulls us away from the comfort of what we know and asks us to reimagine our work. And let’s be honest: most of us find some sense of safety in our routines. How things have always been done offers predictability, familiarity, and a rhythm we can count on. But when those rhythms are interrupted, it’s easy to feel unsettled.

    Still, I’ve always believed that the only real constant in healthcare—and in life—is change.

    While resistance is natural, growth almost always comes from moments of discomfort. These are the seasons when we’re stretched, challenged, and invited to see things from a new angle. It’s during these periods of upheaval that we learn not just new protocols or workflows but resilience, patience, and adaptability.

    As we adjust to this new rhythm, I hope we can approach it with a shared purpose. Let’s lean into the change rather than away from it. Let’s offer grace to ourselves and each other when the days feel awkward or uncertain. And let’s remind ourselves that transformation isn’t a sign that something is broken; it’s often a sign that something is evolving.

    In time, we’ll look back and realize how much stronger, wiser, and more connected we became, not in spite of change but because of it.