On Self Care
Health and Wellness are very commonly used buzz words in the veterinary profession, and with good reason, as more research and study is being devoted to the people side of our industry and the demands that go along with it. I know we all think about this alot, what it means to us, our families and our coworkers, but truthfully, it can all be quite overwhelming.
I like this definition straight from Google: Wellness
” the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort”.
Now, it’s all fine and good to know what it is, to think about it, to wish for this zen like state of being, and most certainly to have more time and money to pursue it.
This leads me to thinking of another definition, thank you, Google: Habit
“an acquired behaviour pattern regularly followed until it become almost involuntary”.
Putting our own wellness on the priority list of things to do each day means forming true habits that actually become “involuntary” acts. It must be true to our own selves, it must fit into the context of our daily lives, it must be meaningful to us as individuals and our wellness should not look anything like any other person's wellness. There are mile-long lists of activities, therapies, memberships, articles and even foods that contribute to personal wellness. Eating right, resting and sleeping enough, and exercising appropriately is nothing new! It’s up to us to pick the things that work for us, only us, and then try them out as they fit into the context of our lives; home, rest, play and work. As our lives change, so should our views of wellness and what we do for it. To reiterate, what we, as our own person, do for it and do about it. I’d love to see the end of the term “work/life balance”. This implies, to me, that work and life are somehow on opposite ends and need to balance to zero. I like to think of my work and my life holding hands and being integrated; work is part of my life and my life is part of my work. They are linked, not separated, and at times one overwhelms the other and vice versa. How we work, rest and play looks different than it did a year ago, 5 years ago, 20 years ago and it should look different in 1, 5 or 20 years from now. One thing won’t change; the mindfulness of thinking about our own wellness and trying our hardest to keep the habit in the “involuntary acts” category of what supports the ideology of “wellness”.
On the principle of “self care”. We are all caring beings. We care for our families, our pets, our friends, and our material things, like our homes. We.care. Self care is another extension of all the caring we already do. It’s up to us to prioritize who gets the caring for and when. We (ourselves) need to be in the caring queue!
I recall, very vividly, a day when I was feeling pretty low, was talking negatively about myself when my dear friend stopped me and said, “Don’t talk about MY friend that way, she doesn’t deserve it!”. It got me thinking that I would never talk about someone I cared for that way. Why on earth was I saying that to myself? I try very hard not to have a double standard….I know how to care for people and animals very well, I include myself on that list. It can mean that certain things, certain people at certain times need my attention and thoughtfulness or take a higher priority. I can adjust, I can plan and I can think. If my most precious family and friends are worthy of my care then so am I, because I am that important to them.
I leave this article with one idea in mind. Be celebratory about the work we/you do and create the habit of talking about that each day. There is no greater contribution to wellness than to do good for others and that is the very nature of veterinary medicine. Mindfully and purposefully reflect on all the patients you help, the clients you serve, the contributions you make to your teams. Contribute proactively to the very “ethos” of medicine - celebrate! And put yourself on the “caring for” list, and start talking to yourself the way you talk to your very best friend.
We are already damn good at caring. Now, use that on yourself with the same enthusiasm and energy that you do with all the other important people you love and care for.
~ Becky
