Guest Kristen Calcagni Johnson pinned her early thoughts of being a doctor on her ability to stay calm when everyone else was stressing out. But even more core to her personality is her drive to experience many things, find joy in varied activities, and live into many facets of her identity and a balanced life. Since she was choosing colleges to today, she has always known that—while she takes her work and her activities seriously—she is willing to accept a little imperfection if it means that she will have more room in her life for different experiences and time for loved ones. She even finds it imperative to find room in her life to engage in activities she “is bad at”—like tennis—to balance out a work environment in pediatrics that demands more precision.

In this episode, find out from Kristen how making space for being good at things and bad at things can help you bring a whole person approach to care-giving…on Roads Taken with Leslie Jennings Rowley.

About This Episode’s Guest

Kristen Calcagni Johnson, as a friend once described her, is a woodworker, she sews clothes, she’s a big reader, she speaks Italian, by, the way, she’s a pediatrician. She practices with Core Physicians, affiliated with Exeter Hospital, in the New Hampshire Seacoast Region. She lives with her husband and two children there, where she was awarded the 2021 Exeter Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, chiefly for her work on the front line of the pandemic, as a critical partner to the community and school district on health and safety issues. Had there been a furniture- or shed-building category, we are sure she would have come out on top of that one, too.

For another story about making sure you make time for multiple activities, even ones in which you’re less than talented, listen to our episode with Stephanie Argamaso.

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Model of Imperfection: Kristen Calcagni Johnson on doing lots of things but not all well

Roads Taken