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
Hi there, I log on to your blogs daily. Your humoristic style is witty, keep up the good work!
Hi there, I log on to your blogs daily. Your humoristic style is witty, keep up the good work!
I all the time used to study article in news papers but now as I am a
user of web therefore from now I am using net for
articles, thanks to web.
Taking photos can be very exciting to get started on as a fantastic movies to watch.
It is actually a easy movies to watch that
this loved ones. Buy a new digicam to let your young ones have got a
wild time. You may well be set for an unexpected whenever they provde the camera back with
their ability. Everybody can get converts along with it.
Then later on you may take a seat and pore on the photos that acquired considered.
fantastic post, very informative. I’m wondering why the other experts
of this sector don’t notice this. You should proceed your writing.
I am confident, you have a huge readers’ base already!
cunt
I am not certain where you are getting your info, however good topic.
I needs to spend some time finding out much more or working out more.
Thank you for magnificent information I was searching for this information for my mission.
Its like you learn my thoughts! You seem to understand a lot
approximately this, such as you wrote the e book in it or something.
I think that you could do with a few p.c. to pressure the message home a little bit, but other
than that, that is excellent blog. An excellent read. I will certainly be
back.
I’m not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep
it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back later on. Cheers
We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
Your site offered us with valuable information to work on.
You have done an impressive job and our whole community will
be grateful to you.
Thanks for sharing your info. I truly appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your further write ups
thanks once again.
What’s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have discovered
It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & help different users like its aided me.
Good job.
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a
coworker who had been doing a little homework on this.
And he actually ordered me lunch simply because I found
it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this subject here on your site.
You made some really good points there. I checked on the internet for more info about
the issue and found most individuals will go along with your
views on this website.
It’s awesome in favor of me to have a site, which is valuable designed for my know-how.
thanks admin
Awesome issues here. I’m very happy to look your article. Thank
you a lot and I am taking a look ahead to contact you.
Will you please drop me a mail?
I’m not that much of a internet reader to be honest but your sites really nice, keep it up!
I’ll go ahead and bookmark your website to come back later.
Cheers
My partner and I stumbled over here different web page
and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you.
Look forward to going over your web page again.
Spot on with ths write-up, I seriously think
this amazing site needs a great deal more attention. I?ll probably be
returning to see more, thanks ffor the advice!
First off I would like to say superb blog! I had a quick question in which I’d
like to ask if you do not mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts before
writing. I’ve had trouble clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out.
I do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost
just trying to figure out how to begin. Any suggestions or hints?
Thanks!