The Unspoken Life
Recognize Your Passion, Embrace Imperfection, and Stay Connected
Kimberly Pope-Robinson, DVM, CCFP
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35021125-the-unspoken-life?from_search=true
An excellent read for all veterinary staff and students. Veterinary well-being is something I believe we all need to be proactive over, developing better skills for helping ourselves and each other. This is an efficient read, and easy to absorb the details.
A very recent CDC study (Tomasi, S. et al, Suicide among veterinarians in the United States from 1979 through 2015, JAVMA Vol 254:1, 104-112) determined that veterinarians have up to a 3.5 time higher chance of death by suicide, compared to the general population. And the rate of suicide has been steadily rising over the last several years. If the CDC has taken the time and financial investment to investigate this, alarm bells should be screaming at us. This author, a veterinarian, speaks from experience regarding the critical concept that veterinary well-being should be a priority.
The main take-away that Dr. Pope-Robinson communicates, is the vitalness of connection. Without connection, feelings of isolation can overwhelm us, perpetuating negative and destructive thought patterns and behaviors. Learning to replace these negative habits with thoughts and actions of connection is her strategy for developing a robust life of well-being.
Fighting the negative components of our life (“sinkers”) intentionally and proactively with positive and up-lifting components (“balloons”) help us build and maintain connection.
Four different components of connection are discussed:
- Physical connection
- Mental connection
- Emotional connection
- Spiritual connection
While most of us expect life to balance itself out, negativity bias (the subconscious tendency to dwell on, or give greater weight to the negative) favors energy drains, rather than balanced or positive states of being. Therefore, proactively managing and connecting with positive components is a critical skill to develop!
Given the uniqueness we each carry, our sense of connection for each component will be extremely varied from each other. To establish a resilient sense of well-being, understanding things that give you a sense of connection (running, one on one time with a loved one, reading a book, spending time in nature), having strategies in place to recognize when they are needed, and engaging these positives is a skillset of incredible value.
The only moment of sun in the day, between hail storms and sunset.
A helium weather sized balloon, for me.
Dr. Pope-Robinson also discusses other vital components to remaining connected, including self-worth, conviction, acceptance, courage, vision, empathy, and resilience.
This book is an excellent starting point to start considering, developing and sustaining your sense of well-being. I recommend reading it- even if you feel well equipped, it may be a skillset that could save your life, or help you recognize another life that needs to feel connected. It will not be a burden to take the time to read it.
In addition to this book, Dr. Pope-Robinson has developed 1 Life Connected, a business dedicated to coaching individuals towards connecting your passions and your career.
Another resource on well-being, developed by the American Veterinary Medical association provides help line information, and a kit of articles and topics to help you understand and develop well-being.
While you are working through this book, what are your strategies for filling your “balloons”? What are your strategies for recognizing when your “sinkers” are tipping the scale? Share below, and help us build our tool-kits!
Further Reading/Resources:
I Need Help Please
Slaying the Savior
We stumbled over here coming from a different web page and thought I
might as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to looking into your web page yet again.
After exploring a number of the blog articles on your web page, I honestly like your way of blogging.
I saved it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back in the
near future. Please check out my website too and let me know your opinion.
This post is in fact a nice one it helps new net visitors, who are wishing
in favor of blogging.
Very intteresting subject, thank you for posting.
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thank you so much,
However I am having problems with your RSS. I don’t know the
reason why I can’t join it. Is there anyone else getting identical RSS issues?
Anybody who knows the answer can you kindly respond? Thanks!!
What i do not understood is in fact how you’re not actually a lot more neatly-appreciated than you might be now.
You’re so intelligent. You understand thus considerably relating to this subject, produced me individually consider
it from so many varied angles. Its like women and men are not fascinated
except it is one thing to do with Girl gaga!
Your own stuffs excellent. Always care for it up!
Hello would you mind sharing which blog
platform you’re using? I’m looking to start my own blog
in the near future but I’m having a tough time selecting between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique.
P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but
I had to ask!
Keep on working, great job!
Ahaa, its pleasant conversation concerning this post at
this place at this web site, I have read all that, so now me also commenting here.
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account
it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how
can we communicate?
Admiring the persistence you put into your website and detailed information you provide.
It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed material.
Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds
to my Google account.
Good blog! I really love how it is easy on my
eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I
might be notified when a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your RSS feed which
must do the trick! Have a great day!
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a colleague who has been doing a
little homework on this. And he actually bought me lunch
simply because I discovered it for him… lol. So let me reword this….
Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your site.
Hello, i feel that i noticed you visited my website thus i got here to
return the favor?.I’m trying to find things to enhance my site!I suppose its good enough to use some of your ideas!!
Very quickly this site will be famous amid all blogging
and site-building visitors, due to it’s nice articles
Great website. Lots of helpful information here.
I’m sending it to several buddies ans additionally sharing in delicious.
And certainly, thanks in your sweat!
I wanted to thank you for this good read!! I certainly loved every little
bit of it. I’ve got you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you post…
If some one wants expert view about blogging and site-building after that i recommend him/her to go to see this webpage,
Keep up the good work.
Good website! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written.
I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made.
I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick!
Have a nice day!
I do accept as true with all the ideas you’ve presented on your post.
They are really convincing and will certainly
work. Nonetheless, the posts are too brief for novices. May
you please lengthen them a bit from next time? Thank you for the post.