Health is Wealth

We are still in the COVID-19 pandemic, and practicing social distancing. And this is tough on all of us. For some, it means working from home. For others, it means not working at all. This can be difficult financially, physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Looking at how this pandemic has been positive can be a really useful tool. But it can also be really hard. On one hand, look at how many opportunities this pandemic has opened for us to learn new things, spend time with God, work on ourselves, etc. On the other hand, we may be more tired, lonely, bored, and frustrated. So, instead of forcing yourself to focus on a positive OR the negative, focus on the now. What is happening now? We are in a pandemic and life is very, very different right now. How do you feel NOW? Practice this skill. Don’t think about what happened yesterday and how that made you feel. Don’t focus on your worries about what is happening tomorrow, and what you are fearful about....

Right now more than ever, we need to be compassionate with ourselves. We need to understand that this is a great time of uncertainty, changes, and challenges. During this pandemic, we can get caught up in anxiety, stress, and frustration. So as a gentle reminder, let us remember to be compassionate with ourselves. Remember that: 1) No one is perfect 2) Struggles and challenges - and even mistakes - do not define us 3) We are not valuable or loved because of our appearances or accomplishments. While looking 'good' and being successful are important, we are worthy regardless of these 4) Being gentle and kind to ourselves means understanding that we are enough. But it also means that we can always grow and improve As we practice compassion to ourselves, it is helpful to have some coping statements to keep us focused on our values, goals, and dreams. There are different coping statements you can repeat at various times in your life. You can even make your own! Now,...

Today marks my 27th birthday...and what a year it has been! This year, I can honestly say that I am the healthiest and happiest I have ever been. The past year has been FULL of challenges, changes, and growths in my life. I started my first year of Family Medicine Residency. I found a therapist who was absolutely the best fit for me. I allowed myself to feel all my emotions, and to accept them. I challenged so many ED rules. I started taking more care of myself, my body, my mind, my emotions, and my faith. I reached out to friends and family for support. I cried. I yelled. I laughed. I smiled. And best of all... I made it. Today is a gift. Looking back on this past year, I can see how every experience I encountered led to my growth. It was all for the good. There were many days this past year when I felt exhausted because of work. Fatigued from my therapy homework. Saddened by the events taking place in the world. Frustrated by my emotions. And, yet, I am proud. Proud becaus...

In part one of this series, we started by identifying our values - the things in life that are most important to us. In this post, we will dive deeper into exactly WHY we value the things we do. This might seem obvious. For example, I value health because it helps me live my life and accomplish my goals. Stop for a second and reread that sentence - health allows me to achieve my dreams. Just writing this out helped me realize that whenever things get crazy in life (as they often do), I need to keep health a priority. Because if I am not healthy, I cannot do anything in life. Therefore, because I value health, it would make sense that my actions, thoughts, and behaviours should be in keeping with those that promote health. This includes adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, social time, spiritual connection, humour, hobbies, etc. Do you see what I mean? By reflecting on WHY our values are important to us - or why they are values in the first place (!), we can begin to consider how w...