When Life Sucks
The art of changing direction and adapt without losing yourself.
Life doesn’t always follow the plan—and sometimes, what once worked no longer fits. Here you’ll find personal stories, science-informed insights and practical ideas about adapting to change in work, health and family life.
Drawing on my experience as a general practitioner, former healthcare director and parent, I explore how we can rethink our next steps while protecting what matters most.
Explore the articles below. Each opens on Substack, where you can read the full story and subscribe for new reflections.
Are Some People Naturally Better at Adapting?
Personality seems to matter when life changes. But your personality is a starting point, not your adaptability score.
Put several people in exactly the same changing situation and they will rarely experience it in the same way.
Tell a team that their work is about to be reorganised and one person will immediately start making a plan. Another will want to talk through what it means for everybody involved. Someone else may feel unsettled before they can think clearly. Another becomes curious: perhaps there is an opportunity here that nobody has noticed yet.
The circumstances are identical.
The first response is not.
Read the full article on Substack
When life sucks
My son was six when he stopped attending school. After two years of intense struggle, we—as parents and teachers—had been unable to make school work for this profoundly gifted little boy.
Eventually, we moved to New Zealand, where we could homeschool freely and give him space to develop.
In my article for When Life Sucks, I share that decision—and the question behind it: how do you know when to keep trying, and when to change direction?
Read the full story on Substack ↓
I Left My Job for One Reason. Then Life Changed the Question.
We had just moved into a new practice building.
It should have been a good moment. The practice was doing well. We had good patients, a good team, and I worked with a colleague I genuinely liked. We had built something that functioned well for the people who depended on us.
At the official opening, my colleague gave a speech. She thanked the people who had contributed to getting us there.
She thanked everybody except me.
continue reading on substack
When a Successful Life No Longer Feels Sustainable
You can love the life you’ve built and still find it asks more than you can keep giving. Your work may remain meaningful, while changes in health, family responsibilities or your own priorities make it harder to continue in the same way.
For years, my response to difficulty was to find a solution, organise better and try harder. Then circumstances forced me to question whether keeping everything going was still the right goal.
In this personal reflection, I explore the difference between being capable and living sustainably—and why changing direction doesn’t mean rejecting your achievements or abandoning your ambition.