Episode 47: Tiny Humans, Big Lessons with Sue Ludwig
Sue Ludwig
Sue Ludwig is a licensed occupational therapist and certified neonatal therapist. She is the president and founder of the National Association of Neonatal Therapists. She uses her blend of clinical expertise, innovation and leadership to support the advancement of neonatal therapists. Additionally, she is a sought-after speaker, consultant, writer and educator. In her new book, Sue reveals life-changing lessons gleaned from the infants in the NICU.
During this podcast, Sue and I discuss a few themes that are relevant not only for NICU babies and NICU families, but also for life in general.
Energy. While having the seemingly unlimited energy of a toddler would be nice, the reality is that we all have a limited pool of energy. NICU babies need to be able to breathe, eat, grow and stay warm in order to go home. As adults, we have to choose where we choose to put our energy. The first step of making intentional change is first observing where we put our energy. Only then, can we decide to purposefully put energy into things that bring us joy and satisfaction. We also discuss the concept of taking responsibility for the energy you bring into situations. Additionally, we get good at what we put our energy into.
Moments of joy. Even in the most demanding of times, you are allowed little moments of joy. Don’t underestimate the value of 5 minutes. Don’t wait for “later” to start enjoying life. Later may not be better, it may just be different.
Baggage. We all have it. What we should have done, what we could have done. The regrets that we carry for life. Arguing and fighting with “what is” is painful. Forgiving ourselves for failure doesn’t mean we don’t care about the outcome. “Forgiveness means….that we don’t let our anger and hate dominate our every decision…becoming the animator of our life.”
Balance is an energy-sucking myth. Stop searching for balance. Instead aim for alignment. When you actions are in line with your values, you have a credible claim on happiness.
I hope you find this conversation as enlightening as I did.