email 2: sometimes life isn’t fair

Written By Tripp Johnson

This blog is the second email I sent to my newsletter subscribers on Feburary 1st, 2023. I plan to release some of my emails as blogs a few weeks after sending them to subscribers.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes you’ve got to field grievances and talk about death…

leadership [grievances]
This past week I received an anonymous grievance form that essentially said, “Everyone is overworked and underpaid. We hire providers before they’re needed, our goals are dreams, and leadership doesn’t care what the folks on the ground think.” 

Oof. That’s rough.

I take grievances personally, especially when they’re directed at “leadership.” My initial reaction is to tighten up, get defensive, and show with data how the perceived grievance is unwarranted. Thankfully, I learned how to “explore the opposite,” a concept from 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership. The book reads, “I commit to seeing that the opposite of my story is as true as or truer than my original story. I recognize that I interpret the world around me and give my stories meaning.” 

I completely disagree with the assessment. So, what’s the path forward? Well, I’ve got to acknowledge that our systems (and thus reporting) are in their infancy. We don’t have a “single source of truth” regarding our data; thus, we’re not sharing the same reality. Fixing the systems and reporting, so we’re all on the same sheet of music is half the battle. The other half involves listening to individuals and creating an environment that fosters healthy communication. I’ll encourage the team to bring up concerns like this to their supervisor and always take advantage of our leadership team’s open-door policy if it feels like they’ve been ignored. No matter how hard we try, grievances and misunderstandings will arise—all the more reason to focus on kindness and clarity in all interactions. 

life [death]

Over the past few weeks, several of my colleagues’ parents have had serious health concerns, and one passed away. Given my longstanding existential bent, I’ve thought a lot about death and the meaning of life. But I haven’t thought much about losing my parents. My parents allowed me to be fiercely independent, which was great, but I haven’t been the most family-oriented. Now that I’m a father, I’m reconsidering what it means to be a good son during this period of life. So even though my parents are (thankfully) in great health, I’m going to read A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death to try and get ahead of the next phase. 

contemplative path [surrender]

The contemplative journey starts with seeking. But, unfortunately, we can become so fixated on seeking that we overlook the beauty and wholeness of the present moment. That’s why we must learn the value of surrender. If we want true freedom and liberation, there can be no resistance. And the fact is we spend most of our lives resisting the present moment while we chase pleasure and avoid pain. When we surrender the ego, we can embrace the beauty and wholeness of the present moment. Surrender, or living life on life’s terms, is the highest form of practice. For more on surrender, check out: 

recent blogs

  • private pay treatment: good, bad, and ugly | part 1: the good stuff (read here)

  • the best plant-based recipes (updated 1.15.23) (read here)

  • happiness, god, and tennis (read here)

currently writing

  • part 2 private pay treatment the bad: a critical look in the mirror

  • proposed mental health reforms: how smart regulations can increase the quality of behavioral healthcare

  • booknotes: The Psychology of Money

currently reading

Alrighty,if you made it this far, I appreciate you sharing your time and attention with me. If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, email me at hello@trippj.com.

Tripp Johnson
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