Growing up, my mother introduced me to a world of spiritual wisdom, despite her Muslim upbringing. Her discussions were always centered around experiences rather than strict religious practices. As a young adult, I dismissed her insights, ignoring her texts brimming with resources from spiritual leaders like Don Miguel Luis, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and the timeless poetry of Rumi. Fast forward to adulthood, and I seemingly had it all: a supportive spouse, three thriving children, and a successful pediatric medical practice. But behind this facade of perfection, I harbored a whirlwind of emotions – anger, frustration, and an overwhelming sense of fatigue. Despite ticking off every box on my meticulously crafted vision board, I felt far from content. I questioned myself incessantly. What was missing? How could this be my reality? Driven by an obsession with achieving goals at lightning speed, I raced through life's milestones – marriage at 20, a doctor by 28, motherhood at 29,...

I first heard this expression as a resident, being ‘encouraged’ by my fellow house staff to limit the number of admissions that came onto the ward while I was on call. I often say it to my office staff now, as my schedule fills up with all manner of patient concerns. But how often do I apply to myself, when yet another responsibility lands on my lap or yet another person makes demands on my personal time?  It’s a little ironic, considering that, as pediatricians, limit setting is part of our mantra on discipline guidance for parents. From toddlers in time-out to house rules for teenagers, we work with families to develop rules and stick to them. We support them through those difficult times when it seems like that child plans to test every scrap of their parental resolve. We struggle, however, with placing limits on those same families when they ask for another quick conversation on the phone or another form you ‘just have to sign.’ Dealing with our colleagues and staff can be...