July 17, 2026
Finding Joy and Well-being by Reconnecting to Our Creativity
“As adults, we train our eyes to scan for utility rather than beauty. We pay attention to the metrics of a productive day. In the process, we become visually and spiritually illiterate to the ordinary.”
—Vivek Murthy, MD
It can be so easy to fall in line with everyday routines, checking off boxes and staying within guidelines. While all of this is important in the field of medicine, it can also be important to make room for creativity and the arts not just for our own personal joy and well-being but also to help aid in our clinical decision making. In his new website, Staying Human, Dr. Vivek Murthy explores ways to connect and asks how do we enrich a life with these moments of deep meaning when the forces around us too often push these experiences to the margins, further and further from our grasp? Engaging in creative activities, such as art, music, or dance, or even playing games can be a way to practice sitting with uncertainty and discomfort while bringing awareness to the current moment.
There has been a longstanding relationship between the arts and medicine, so for this month's I.M. Thriving, we're providing you with some tips and ideas to infuse creativity and the arts into your everyday routine. In From The Trenches, one of our student members, Rashmeet Kaur, gives us a firsthand look at the intersection between her medical training and her creative practice. Take a look at some other stories of physician artists here and here, listen to this playlist curated by Dr. Murthy, or print out some coloring pages curated by ACP Well-being staff to leave at your desk or in your break room to encourage your employees to take a brief moment out of their day to engage in a creative activity to reset and recharge.
Check out the links below for resources you can use for yourself and others:
- Explore the Professional Fulfillment Zone, where you will find the latest updates from ACP's Professional Development and Fulfillment Team on the Well-being Champion (WBC) program, Physician Peer Coaching, and the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting.
- Read about preventing burnout and vicarious trauma as well as promoting psychological safety.
- Learn about the value of creativity, superheroes, and joy in medicine.
- Review Patients Before Paperwork and advocacy updates that affect physician well-being and professional fulfillment.
- Explore WBC coaching resources, including coaching sign-ups, the WBC contact list, a library of well-being interventions, and the WBC journey map. Find out how chapters can partner with WBCs (WBC exclusive; must be signed in to ACP online).
- Utilize just-in-time well-being skills for yourself and others; explore tools to create a well-being program tailored to any organization's needs and budget.
- Visit the I.M. Emotional Support Hub and Video Series to learn more about individual and organizational strategies and resources to protect clinicians' emotional health and well-being.
We look forward to hearing from you! Reach out to us via e-mail anytime with your thoughts and suggestions for newsletter topics and features.
Sincerely,
Your ACP Well-being Team
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