“Once we believe in ourselves,
We can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight,
Or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”

-e.e. Cummings

How are you doing?

Thursdays are my favorite days. They have always been. Growing up in Iran our weeks were different. First day of the week was Saturday and the last day was Friday. So you know the Sunday blues we feel here? It was Friday night blues… It’s funny to think that way now. We did not have two days off at the end of the week. No sense of a weekend. The only day off was Friday. So naturally Thursdays had the same feel of Fridays here. Promise of rest the following day. That is why Thursday has always been my favorite day of the week.

My husband is half French. His family moved back to France for middle school through high school. It was the same in France. They also did not have two days off at the end of the week. They had school on Saturdays. It’s almost unimaginable now. I love telling that to my kids.

Of course, now it is very different. I only work part time. 2.5 days a week, and because I love Thursdays, I chose that to be my off day.

We made a lot of sacrifices to be where we are today. When it comes to saving, I am very much like Mr Money Mustache for those of you who may know who he is. I need very little to be happy and spend very little money. I like to read books I check out from the library and listen to podcasts. I am pretty low maintenance. So naturally when we had to move to Hawaii, it was a difficult decision as everything would cost so much more.

I remember when we both got our contracts from our separate hospitals in Honolulu, there were prices of milk and eggs printed and available for us to review. Is that not crazy? That is because the cost of living is so high here that they don’t want you to come and say: “Oh I didn’t know orange juice was going to cost that much!”. Physician attrition is very low in Hawaii. People are happy to come here but do not last here very long. Salaries are less than the mainland but the cost of living is higher. Most kids end up going to private schools, and while it is nowhere near the prices of what people on the East coast have to pay, it is still way more than I would have imagined paying for my kids’ education.

But the life that I live now, truly, is exactly what I imagined to be living 5 years ago.

2.5 days of work. Not more. Not less. Many times they have asked me to consider becoming full time. I am flattered, but no.

Have I shared with you here? In life and in work, when you are asked to do something, there are only two answers.

Hell yes. Or. No.

I love what I do. Palliative care medicine truly adds meaning to my life. I would do it even if they didn’t pay me.

Having said that, I want to do so much more. I don’t want to just help the dying. I want to help the living. It matters to me to have a podcast to nudge us all to live our bucket list now. It matters to me that you can be inspired that someone as frugal as me can end up here and live in Hawaii. If that is what you want to do.

On one of the other sites someone asked how much money would you have to have to feel wealthy?

That is a good question. I feel wealth is about the abundance of your life now. Not necessarily an abundance of money, but whatever brings you joy.

My family. My health. My work. My community. My purpose. My passions.

I am wealthy regardless of what is in my bank account.

I am only telling you all of this because I want you to be inspired to know that you can have it exactly the way you want to have it.

You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.

You can have it all.
Maybe not all the things all the time.
But if there are situations in your life that are less than ideal, you CAN change them. You can work less. On days you want to. Spend time with the kids if that is what you want to do.

Oftentimes as physicians we are bogged down thinking the first job that is offered to us is the one we have to retire from. I am here to tell you that you have options. If your current situation is not positive, work to make a change that is meaningful.

Whatever that is for you.

It can be done. I am here as an example of what is possible.

Do I have it all?
No.
Do I have all that I want right now (and nothing extra that I don’t need? Like a full time palliative position that would pay me twice what I make right now?)
Hell Yes!!

This extra time allows me to be creative. Be present for my family. Be present for my mind. Create a podcast that can have larger reach than seeing more patients in the same week. I am using my time coaching people to lead them to a more fulfilled life.

It can be done. On my own terms.

You can too.

So much love to all of you.