Happy new year everyone! I truly hope this year is off to a good start for each and every one of you in spite of the current political and social climate. In just one month we have seen millions rally behind their beliefs towards a better future. I think that's pretty incredible. I feel as if I've stepped into a new season of my life - getting used to this whole mama thing and getting ready to finish off med school before graduation in May, waiting anxiously for Match Day, and getting excited to finally take care of patients and grow my skills as a clinician and surgeon. I've also switched over to blogspot to simplify my own life and hopefully bring more content in the coming months. 

This last year has been a whirlwind in many aspects of my life. And one of the main themes has been finding my passion. Jad and I are both at a time in our lives where this is so important and will impact the way we parent and our happiness. During medical school I entertained multiple specialities as paths I could take but ultimately followed my heart and committed to ObGyn. Following my heart and passion has been essential and I truly feel that I've made the right choice. 

If you're a dreamer like me, you can't wait to throw your energy and life purpose in the direction that is meant for you. So how do you find your passion(s)? It's neither linear nor necessarily sequential. Often finding your passion comes through trial, error and a great deal of honest introspection. I think it's also important to understand the nuances that you, as a human being, have and that many passions are a normal, rich thing to have. So after some thought, I've gathered up my top five tools to find your passion from a new mama and soon-to-be-doctor. What are your favorite tools?

Trust your gut. Have you ever felt that the direction of your life wasn't exactly one taking you towards happiness? Or have you ever felt stuck? Sometimes we get caught up in the system or situation we're in and can feel like this is simply what we have to endure. And sometimes that's true - enduring an inevitable, challenging life trial can make us stronger. But if we have the power to do something shouldn't we do just that? Truly knowing yourself is your best asset. It will keep you from putting up with unacceptable circumstances, act as a mirror when you need to take a good look at your life, and will help you follow your heart. 

Build your perspective. Being in the right frame of mind is helpful when considering making a change or implementing something new into your life. This can mean drawing on your previous experiences to build a vision of where you would like to go. It can also mean to repair your outlook - achieving a balanced, neutral view on your life. Sometimes our life situations can seem more bleak than they truly are based on our outlook. Give yourself a chance to appreciate reality as objectively as possible before attaching any negative feelings. Having a positive perspective will help keep your motivation alive! 

Consider your strategy. Once you've evaluated where you are, your vision, and have a positive outlook, it's time to strategize. I'll draw from my own life path for this one: so you want to graduate university, get into medical school, start a family and get into residency? There are so many steps in between each of those life changes. No matter what your goals are (including those #doctorgoals!) considering your steps & strategy is the action portion of passion-finding. Consult with your life partners, family, and friends to understand what support systems are available to you. Talk to mentors and reach out to people in your dream field (for example us med-student bloggers!) to understand what you're getting yourself into and what their experience has been. Climbing the literal academic mountain of medicine isn't something you should have to do alone. And because it is often interwoven with life challenges, finding your tribe is so important. 

Be flexible. In all aspects of life I try to always be flexible and it is my biggest piece of advice when asked. If you're interested in life in medicine you're probably already motivated and willing to work for those dreams. But visions can often be accompanied by rigidity and fear of failure. It's okay to fail. It's okay if one, or many, things don't work out. Learn to appreciate the things you do have whether that is your health, family, or beliefs. Being able to adjust to change is such a resilient quality. It is special because it's something you can't necessarily practice. Rather you get the opportunity to be flexible when things unexpectedly change. I encourage you to take that chance. 

What's worth my time? For me this means: what is worth getting up early, working long hours and not spending time with my family? Helping bring babies into this world safely and supporting women at all stages of the life cycle is worth it to me. Find something that not only calls to your heart but will also challenge you emotionally and intellectually as your grow.