"Knowing What I Now Know" – A Reflection Tool for Physicians

We Are Allowed to Change

If you’re like most of the women physicians I work with, you’ve spent a lot of time asking yourself, “Why did I do that?”

Why did I take this job?
Why did I choose this specialty?
Why do I keep overcommitting?

But here’s the truth: You made the best decisions you could with the information you had at the time. The problem isn’t that you chose wrong—it’s that you’re growing.

And that’s a good thing.

That’s why I want to introduce you to a simple but powerful reflection tool: “Knowing What I Now Know” (KWINK). It’s a way to pause, reassess, and move forward with clarity—without beating ourselves up for what we didn’t know before.

Step 1: Your Job – Is It Serving You?

When you signed your contract, you had expectations. Maybe you were sold a vision of work-life balance. Maybe they promised a certain level of support.

But now, months or years later—knowing what you now know—how does it actually feel?

Are you constantly fighting for resources?
Are you being asked to give more than is sustainable?
Are you supported as a human, not just as a workhorse?

If the reality doesn’t match what you were promised, it’s not your failure—it’s information. And that information can help you decide what needs to change.

Step 2: Your Career – Does It Still Fit?

You chose your specialty for a reason. Maybe it excited you. Maybe it seemed like the right fit at the time. But medicine is demanding, and over time, what once worked might not work anymore.

Knowing what you now know about yourself, what energizes you? What drains you? Do you still want to be practicing the same way you were 10 years ago—or is it time to pivot?

(And yes, you’re allowed to pivot. No guilt required.)

Step 3: Your Life – What Do You Need?

Many of us resist asking for help. We tell ourselves we should be able to do it all—work full-time, raise kids, manage a home, stay healthy, have a social life. But knowing what you now know about the reality of your life, what actually makes sense?

Do you need more help at home?
Do you need to delegate things that drain you?
Do you need to carve out space for you—without guilt?

Because let’s be honest—no one is handing us extra time. If we want space for joy, rest, or even just to breathe, we have to create it. And that often means asking for (or paying for) help.

You Deserve to Reassess

There’s no shame in realizing that what once worked… doesn’t anymore. That’s growth. And you are allowed to make different choices today, knowing what you now know.

So take a moment. Reflect. What needs to shift?

And if this hits home for you, know this: You don’t have to figure it all out alone. In coaching, we work through these shifts together—so that you don’t just survive in medicine, but actually thrive.

Because you deserve that.

Want to hear more? Listen to Episode 162: Knowing What I Now Know – A Tool for Self-Compassion and Change