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
I am curious to find out what blog platform
you are working with? I’m experiencing some minor security problems with my latest website and I’d like to find something more safe.
Do you have any recommendations?
Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
I need to to thank you for this fantastic read!!
I absolutely loved every bit of it. I’ve got you book marked to
check out new stuff you post…
I am really inspired along with your writing skills as neatly as with the layout for your weblog.
Is that this a paid topic or did you customize it yourself?
Anyway stay up the excellent high quality writing, it is rare to peer a nice weblog like this one these days..
It’s truly very complex in this active life to listen news on Television, thus I only use
the web for that reason, and obtain the most recent information.
Have you ever considered creating an ebook or guest authoring on other
sites? I have a blog based upon on the same information you discuss and would love to have you share some
stories/information. I know my visitors would appreciate
your work. If you’re even remotely interested,
feel free to shoot me an email.
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well
written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and come back
to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the
post. I’ll certainly return.
My partner and I stumbled over here different
web address and thought I might check things out. I like what I see so
now i’m following you. Look forward to looking at your web page for a second time.
Very good written article. It will be valuable tto anybody who employess it,
as well as myself. Keep uup the good work – ffor sure i will check out more
posts.
Today, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple ipad and tested
to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so
she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now destroyed
and she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic but I had
to share it with someone!
I just could not depart your website prior to suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the standard information a person supply on your visitors?
Is gonna be back regularly to check up on new posts
What’s up, after reading this remarkable paragraph i am too delighted to
share my know-how here with mates.
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your website in Safari, it looks
fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, great blog!
This excellent website truly has all the information and facts I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know
who to ask.
Hello everybody, here every one is sharing such knowledge, thus it’s nice to read this webpage, and I used to go to see this web site all the time.
What a data of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious know-how
concerning unexpected emotions.
I don’t know if it’s just me or if perhaps everybody else experiencing problems with your blog.
It appears like some of the text within your content are running off the screen.
Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is
happening to them too? This could be a issue with
my internet browser because I’ve had this happen before.
Many thanks
I feel that is one of the such a lot significant info for me.
And i am happy studying your article. However wanna remark on some general issues, The website
style is ideal, the articles is actually great :
D. Excellent task, cheers
Hi there, just wanted to tell you, I loved this post.
It was funny. Keep on posting!
It’s an remarkable piece of writing in support of all the online viewers;
they will get advantage from it I am sure.