You know what is one of the worst feelings in the world? Feeling like an imposter.
It’s the feeling when you are in a room with people who think of you a certain way but you don’t feel that way about yourself.
And the more that you try to cover it up, overcompensate for it, the worse it becomes.
As a naturopathic doctor, I have to fight imposter syndrome all the time. Can you imagine?
People pay me to give them advice on their digestive system, and my digestive system is still a work in progress. People confide in me about deep personal struggles that they are dealing with, and I have my own deep personal struggles that I am actively trying to heal.
Sometimes I wake up and think, “I don’t deserve to help others heal when I can’t even heal myself…”
…but there is another voice inside too. And this voice comes from a deeper, wiser place. It is not acting out of insecurity and fear, but acting out of love.
And it says, “Your personal experience of healing yourself is your greatest gift for helping others heal.”
We have 6 principles in naturopathic medicine:
- First do no harm
- The healing power of nature
- Identify and treat the causes
- Doctor as teacher
- Treat the whole person
- Prevention
But there is a 7th missing principle that is one of the most important of them all…
7. Physician, heal thyself.
You see, I am no different than any person that I treat. I have gone through crippling anxiety. I have had panic attacks. I still experience fear around public speaking. I have struggled on and off with digestive issues. I often feel more stressed than I should. When I get stressed, I get bloated and constipated. I feel like my hair is receding and greying.
But it’s not really about any symptoms we have. It’s about the journey. It’s about the lesson our symptoms and struggles teach us that guides us deeper into ourselves.
Recently, I started a journey to heal my metabolism and heal my psyche. I realized that I still am not where I hope to be. My body is communicating to me that I still have more to heal. So I have been embarking on a new chapter of my journey to increase my energy, to increase my vital force, and increase my love for myself.
I am working with my own coaches to go deeper into my unconscious patterns and heal them. I have run new bloodwork that I haven’t run in years to look at my body from a different perspective. I am taking new supplements, making dietary modifications, and practicing different routines than I have before. I continue to learn and to heal.
Healing has exponential potential. The potential is as big as nature itself. Think of all the world has to offer, all that God has given us. Healing is about the journey of finding who we truly are on a journey that always starts and ends right where we are.
We are all human beings that are living in a society that does not prioritize health, a food system that is depleted, an environment that can be toxic, and a culture that often promotes fear over love.
I am just like you. We are all in this together. Let’s all remember that most of us want the same things. Health, happiness, and love.
Dr. Alex Orton, ND
N A T U R O P A T H I C D O C T O R
F O U N D E R & O W N E R
