Pearls from the Practice of Life
Week of March 19, 2022
A family physician’s guide to help you struggle less and thrive more in your one wild and precious life.
First Things First
A review of the ground rules for the game of life and a checklist of the essential items to pack for the journey. Topics include genetics, choice, the pursuit of happiness, friends, generous listening, strategy, overcoming self-consciousness and decision paralysis, balancing making money and doing good, showing up and following through, flexibility, creativity, calendars and checklists, and a description of everyone’s favorite teammate.
Breaking Away from the Thundering Herd
Will you use your days and years to languish in the ordinary and pedestrian, or work with others to change the arc of history? Topics include values inventories, mission statements, lofty goals, greatness redefined, finding your lane, flow, and a physician’s inside scoop on end-of-life satisfaction and regret.
From the Ashe Rises the Phoenix
The bad news is that brokenness, isolation, and feelings of despair are widespread. The good news is that we are forged into our best selves through our struggles. Topics include multiple simultaneous conflicting imperatives (MSCI), kintsugi, foxhole mantras, the music of Dave Matthews, and the wisdom of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Richard Rohr, and John Gardner.
From Values to Vows
An action plan for your metamorphosis into a new and improved version of you. Dr. Chuck reviews the six habits that promote resilience, joy, and meaning (values congruent living, imitating resilient others, nurturing social networks, mindfulness, movement, and eating for both health and pleasure) and the SMART model for behavior change that transforms good intentions into sustained changes in thoughts and behaviors.
John Chuck, M.D., draws on over thirty years of patient care, teaching, and leadership experience to help people find solutions to complex problems related to wellness, joy, and meaning. He does this by being a generous listener, providing informed perspectives, and offering evidence-based hope and encouragement. He was the Chief of Health Promotion for Kaiser Permanente and the Regional Chair of Physician Health and Wellness for The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) and is currently a Professor of Family Medicine at California Northstate University. John’s work has been recognized with the Sidney Garfield Exceptional Contribution Award from TPMG and the UC Davis Alumni Association’s Outstanding Alumnus Award.