Send us a text

You already work hard.
The question is: why are you still making it harder than it needs to be?

In this episode, we’re talking about tools—and not just scalpels and stethoscopes. We’re talking about AI scribes, support teams, GLP-1 medications, Epic features, macros, automation… all the things that are supposed to help—but somehow end up wrapped in guilt, resistance, or overwhelm.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “I shouldn’t need this.”
• “Using that feels like cheating.”
• “I’m too overwhelmed to learn one more thing.”

This conversation is for you.

We break down three places physicians get stuck with tools and how to shift out of each one—without abandoning your values or your integrity.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why physicians are trained to “just get it done” with dull tools—and how that backfires outside of emergencies
• The difference between being the master of a tool and being controlled by it
• Learned helplessness: when you technically have support, but aren’t using it well
• Resistance and resentment toward tools (AI, Epic chat, GLP-1s)—and how it quietly drains your energy
• Overwhelm as a signal, not a failure—and how support can actually reduce it
• Real examples of using AI scribes beyond charting: coaching, expert witness work, summaries, timelines
• Why using the right tools doesn’t make you less competent—it makes you more masterful

You are not a resident.
You are not a student.
You already know how to do this work well.

The invitation here is simple but powerful:
What would change if you let your tools actually support you?

🎧 Listen in, then ask yourself: What’s one tool in my world that I could start using better—starting this week?

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

January has a very specific way of messing with people-pleasing perfectionists.

We start the year with big intentions—this will be the year we exercise, sleep, get our notes done, take better care of ourselves. And then… reality hits.
Clinic runs late. Staffing falls apart. The inbox explodes.

And somehow, we decide we are the problem.

In this episode, I want you to hear this clearly: you are not failing.
You’re just missing one skill—and it’s a skill you can absolutely learn.

Today, we talk about the one practice that quietly changes everything: learning to delight yourself, and tolerating the discomfort that comes with not meeting everyone else’s needs.

We break this down in a very physician-appropriate way (yes, there’s a 2×2 matrix), and we name the trap so many of us are stuck in: delighting everyone else while constantly disappointing ourselves.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why people-pleasing perfectionists feel ambushed every January
• How medical training wires us for struggle, sacrifice, and self-criticism
• The hidden cost of constantly trying to undo other people’s disappointment
• The 2×2 “delight vs. disappoint” matrix—and where physicians get stuck
• Why delighting yourself feels like disappointing others (even when it isn’t)
• How practicing delight expands your bandwidth, generosity, and effectiveness
• Simple, everyday ways to practice savoring—not scrolling
• Why leaving a job or changing circumstances isn’t enough without this skill

This is not about indulgence.
It’s not about checking out or caring less.

It’s about learning to take care of yourself without abandoning the people you care about—and without abandoning yourself.

Your invitation this week:

Choose five small sources of delight already in your life.
Notice them. Savor them. Practice letting them count.

That’s the skill.
And it changes far more than you think.

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

You don’t need a brand-new personality this year.
You don’t need kale, CrossFit, or a personality transplant on January 1st.

What you do need are a few small, intentional tweaks—decisions that actually respect the life you’re living and the woman you already are.

In this episode, we’re officially past the “New Year, New You” nonsense and back in real life. And from that grounded place, I’m sharing 10 tweaks I’m committing to for 2026—not as rules, not as resolutions, but as lived practices that protect energy, reclaim time, and make space for delight.

This list is personal.
It’s also wildly transferable.

As you listen, I want you asking:
“Which one of these is mine?”

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why protecting your energy isn’t selfish—it’s survival (and leadership)
• How taking care of yourself is taking care of others (yes, even in medicine)
• Why waiting to meet your own needs is a fast track to burnout
• How to master your time without doing everything yourself
• Knowing when and where to speak your mind (and where not to)
• Saying no without over-explaining or apologizing
• Why delight is not frivolous—it’s fuel
• How questioning your assumptions quietly changes everything
• The power of retiring unnecessary apologies
• What it really means to detach from medicine—mentally and physically

This is not about becoming someone else in 2026.
It’s about becoming more you, with better boundaries, more joy, and fewer open tabs in your brain.

Your invitation:

• Steal this list.
• Adapt it.
• Make your own.
• Choose one tweak and practice it this week.

If you want support doing this work—figuring out how to protect your energy, reclaim your time, and show up as yourself again—I’d love to help.
You can reach me at megan@healthierforgood.com, check out my website (www.healthierforgood.com) or schedule at https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call

And if this episode resonated, please:

• Leave a rating and a written review (both matter)
• Share this episode with a physician who needs it

We don’t make change alone.
We pass it on.

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

Rewriting the “New Year, New You” Narrative

New Year’s can be a surprisingly difficult time, especially for women physicians who already carry a heavy load of responsibility, perfectionism, and self-judgment.

In this episode, I explore why the familiar “New Year, New You” energy so often leaves us feeling discouraged rather than renewed, and offer a more compassionate, sustainable way to reflect and move forward.

Instead of trying to wipe the slate clean or fix what feels broken, I invite you to think about your life as a story told in chapters; with you as the hero.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why New Year’s resolutions often amplify feelings of lack and failure
• How “magical thinking” keeps us stuck instead of supported
• An alternative framework to reflect: viewing your life as a novel with chapters
• Common chapters many women physicians move through (training, parenting, burnout, transition, diagnosis, change)
• What shifts when you see yourself as the hero of your own story
• A simple reflective exercise to reframe the past year with more compassion
• Why it’s okay, and often necessary, to ask for support in the chapter you’re in

As Jeff Moore reminds us:
“You wouldn’t quit a show or a book just because the character hit a low point. You’d lean in to see how they rise.”

This episode is an invitation to do the same for yourself.

Ready for support?

If you’re tired of doing this reflection work alone and want help navigating the chapter you’re in with more clarity, self-compassion, and intention, I’d love to talk with you.

• Learn more about 1:1 coaching: www.healthierforgood.com
• Or email me directly: megan@healthierforgood.com

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

You get asked questions all day long.

By patients. By staff. By your family. By the system.

But when was the last time you asked yourself a question that actually helped?

In this final week of our 10-week Recharge Challenge, we’re talking about one of the most overlooked (and powerful) stress-reduction tools you already have: better questions.

Not the stuck, spiraling ones:

• Why is this happening to me?
• What now?!
• How am I supposed to manage all of this?

Those aren’t really questions. They’re expressions of overwhelm.

This episode is about learning how to ask questions that create movement instead of paralysis, clarity instead of self-blame, and agency instead of burnout.

As physicians, curiosity is our superpower. We use it expertly with our patients—but we rarely turn it inward. This week is about changing that.

We reflect on:

• Why unanswerable questions keep us stuck
• How asking better questions helps you interrupt autopilot and conditioned overworking
• Why this is not about blaming yourself or ignoring systemic problems
• How small, daily check-ins can fundamentally change how you experience your life and work

This isn’t about fixing healthcare overnight.
It’s about giving yourself back some power today.

🔑 The Core Practice This Week
Start asking questions that:

• You can actually answer
• Help you understand your thoughts and feelings
• Reveal unmet needs and misalignment
• Open the door to self-compassion and change

You don’t need to ask all of them.
You just need to start asking some—consistently.

📝 Reflection Questions from the Episode
(Bookmark these. Screenshot them. Come back to them often.)

• What am I feeling right now?
• What thoughts are creating this feeling?
• What do I need right now?
• What are my top three values in this season of life?
• Am I living in alignment with those values?
• What is getting in the way?
• What is true right now?
• If I had more time, what would I do—and is that actually true?
• Who do I want to be here?
• Where am I not being honest with myself?
• Where am I not being honest with someone important in my life?
• What is meaningful to me?
• What brings me joy?
• What is one thing I will do for myself today?
• What was hard today?
• What was good today?
• What am I proud of today?
• What will I celebrate today?

If you want a simple daily practice, start with the last three.
That alone can change everything.

Let's Connect

Need more support? Schedule a coaching consultation at https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call

Connect with us:

• Website: healthierforgood.com

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

What do you need more of right now?

Your brain will say: time, sleep, money, peace on earth, a functioning Epic inbox. Fair.

But this week, we’re naming the thing that quietly drives everything else: connection.

Not “more people.” Not “more social plans.”
More moments where you actually feel connected—to your people, to your purpose, and to yourself.

Because you can be surrounded all day (patients, staff, family) and still feel… nothing. Or worse: irritated, numb, braced, and already mentally leaving the room while your body is still sitting there.

This episode is a gentle—but very real—invitation to come back.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why connection is often the missing ingredient for stressed, high-functioning women physicians
• The difference between being around people and feeling connected
• The secret ingredient you can’t skip: presence
• How to recognize what connection feels like in your body (not someone else’s Pinterest version)
• Three kinds of connection to practice this week:
  1. Connection to other humans
  2. Connection to a cause/passion
  3. Connection to yourself
• The hard truth: if connection feels totally inaccessible right now, that’s not a character flaw—it’s a signal you need support
  
  

Your Week 9 Challenge: Micro Moments of Connection

Pick one focus area this week—don’t do all three unless you genuinely want to.

1. Connection to other humans

Try one “micro moment” per day:

• Put the phone down, face someone, make eye contact
• Give a real hug (not the drive-by shoulder bump)
• Share one honest sentence instead of your highlight reel
• Be fully there for 60 seconds (yes, even at the dinner table)

2. Connection to a cause or passion

If connection with people feels like… a lot right now, connect to something that matters:

• Contribute, participate, show up, or simply remember why you care
• Let your work link you to meaning (even if the system is a mess)

3. Connection to yourself

This one is underrated—and powerful:

• Notice your self-talk: is it kind, or is it a hostile attending who never goes off service?
• Try a few minutes of journaling, stillness, prayer, meditation, or a walk with no input
• Choose one moment where you stop abandoning yourself

A quick reflection (do this right now)
Think of a time you felt genuinely connected.
Ask:

• What did that feel like in my body?
• What thoughts were present?
• What made that moment possible?

Then choose your tiny practice for the week.

Because connection isn’t a grand gesture.
It’s a repeatable skill.

You’re not behind
If you’re joining mid-challenge, welcome. You can start here and still benefit immediately. And if you want the full sequence, go back to Epi

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

Let’s be honest: when you’re exhausted, under-resourced, and working in a system that keeps asking for more… gratitude can feel like a stretch.

In this episode, we’re talking about gratitude—but not the fluffy, bypass-y kind that tells you to “just be thankful” while everything burns down. We’re talking about real gratitude: the kind that helps regulate your nervous system, protect your mental health, and increase resilience without denying how hard things are.

If you’ve ever had a patient thank you—and felt nothing but resentment, numbness, or exhaustion—this episode is for you.

In this episode, we explore

• Why gratitude is not the same as toxic positivity
• How burnout can make it impossible to receive gratitude—even when it’s offered
• The thought–feeling–action loop and how gratitude fits into it
• Why forced gratitude doesn’t work (and what does)
• How small, honest gratitude practices can reduce stress physiology
• The science linking gratitude to better mental health, cardiovascular outcomes, and even longevity
• Why gratitude works best when layered with sleep, rest, movement, nutrition, and boundaries

We also talk about what to do if you’re too burned out for gratitude—and why that’s not a personal failure.

The science we reference:

• https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijda/international-journal-of-depression-and-anxiety-ijda-4-024.php?jid=ijda
• https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude
• https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2820770
• https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071

This episode is part of our 10-Week Stress Reduction Challenge for Women Physicians—and this week’s focus is learning how to experience gratitude in a way that actually supports your health.

🎧 Listen in, then ask yourself:
here could a little more honest gratitude make my day feel lighter—without asking me to pretend?

Let's Connect

Need more support? Schedule a coaching consultation at https://calendly.com/healthierforgood/coaching-discovery-call

Connect with us:

• Website: healthierforgood.com
• Email: megan@healthierforgood.com
• Instagram: @meganmelomd

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share with a colleague who might benefit!

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD

Send us a text

What if the best medicine you take this week doesn’t come in a bottle, a supplement, a perfectly periodized strength program, or a color-coded workout app… but from simply moving your body the way it was designed to move?

In this week’s episode of Ending Physician Overwhelm, we’re looking at rhythmic movement — walking, running, swimming, biking, anything repetitive and steady — and why it is one of the most powerful, accessible stress-reducers we have.

And yes… we’re talking real stress reduction.
Not “go for a walk because it’s good for you.”
Not “steps are important.”
We’re talking:

✨ Actual telomere protection
✨ Improved cellular resilience
✨ Better cognitive processing & creativity
✨ Nervous system regulation
✨ The kind of mental clarity you cannot get staring at a computer

If you’ve ever wondered why your best thinking happens on a walk (and never while screaming at your inbox), this episode breaks it all down.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why rhythmic movement has measurable effects on telomerase and telomere length
The Telomere Effect highlights two specific kinds of exercise that protect your DNA: moderate aerobic movement and HIIT. The surprise? Strength training did not have the same effect — which doesn’t mean “don’t lift,” it just means rhythmic movement deserves its own spotlight.

• Movement as meditation (even if you’re listening to a podcast or audiobook)
Your brain needs space to think its own thoughts — unstructured, uninterrupted time that no number of productivity apps can replicate. Rhythmic movement is one of the easiest ways to access that state.

• Why physicians need mindful motion more than ever
Between the broken healthcare system, endless inbox escalation, and policy shifts that directly impact our patients… our bodies are absorbing far more stress than we realize. Movement helps metabolize what can’t be solved.

• How rhythmic movement stimulates autophagy & cellular cleanup
When you move rhythmically, you activate AMPK and other repair pathways that make your cells more efficient, more resilient, and frankly… younger.

• Practical, zero-perfection ways to start
You don’t need to run. You don’t need to sweat. You don’t need special leggings.
You need:
10 minutes.
A door.
Your body.
Repeat.

If you’re following the 10-Week Stress Reduction Challenge…

Here’s where we are:
Week 1 → Yoga Nidra
Week 2 → Greens
Week 3 → Breath
Week 4 → Sleep
Week 5 → Laughter + Play
Week 6 → Berries
Week 7 → Rhythmic Movement

Layer this on top of your other practices — gently, imperfectly.
Every little nudge you give your nervous system matters.

Resources Mentioned

• The Telomere Effect — available through Megan’s Bookshop.org page (not Amazon 🙏): https://bookshop.org/shop/meganmelo
• Episode 200 — Kickoff for the 10-Week Recharge C

Support the show

To learn more about my coaching practice and group offerings, head over to www.healthierforgood.com. I help Physicians and Allied Health Professional women to let go of toxic perfectionist and people-pleasing habits that leave them frustrated and exhausted. If you are ready to learn skills that help you set boundaries and prioritize yourself, without becoming a cynical a-hole, come work with me.

Want to contact me directly?
Email: megan@healthierforgood.com

Follow me on Instagram!
@MeganMeloMD