Healthcare: Awareness Equals Power to do Better!

I recently had a patient in that said they were trying to reduce their soda consumption, and they also really despised their cpap mask. I had read about a technique that I thought would be worth trying on both counts. This is something that can be used to stop an old habit or start a new one.

• Upon reaching for the soda, you can increase your focus and awareness on your actions.
• Review the contents of the soda – does it have any nutritional value?
• How does it make you feel while you consume it?
• How do you feel after consuming it?
• Are there any health benefits to it?
• Have you experienced any negative health effects from consuming it?

Then with that increased awareness – continue to remind yourself of it while you are drinking it. Ex: “I am drinking a can of ingredients that I don’t recognize, with no nutritional benefits, that is contributing to my weight gain.” You may find that it quickly loses it’s appeal.

You can do the same for the positive like wearing a cpap mask. Before putting it on, review the benefits of wearing it.

It reduces the incidence of:

• congestive heart failure
• coronary heart disease
• irregular heartbeat
• stroke
• diabetes
• car accidents
• snoring

It improves:

• alertness
• concentration
• emotional stability
• financial health expenditures
• energy levels

Every time you reach for that mask you focus on how all of those benefits make you feel. “This mask is the gift of life by improving my overall health and improving the quality of my daily life.” Review all of the bullet points that mean the most to you before and during the first minute or two after putting it on. Try to explore/feel what all of those benefits will do for you.

The patient reported that his medical doctor had mentioned something similar regarding the soda. He didn’t tell him he ‘had’ to quit. He only suggested that he become more mindful of what he was doing. Love that!

Your brain is a very powerful tool that you can utilize much more in your daily life to accomplish your goals. By doing these exercises on a regular basis you will see yourself transform in many ways you previously considered quite difficult. It can be a fun challenge to play with this and each week or month give yourself a new ‘project’ that you focus on. Read the labels on the foods you eat = awareness. Keep a calendar of your physical activity = awareness. You can journal almost anything and learn new insights about yourself. Remember that your brain goes where you put it, so focus your attention where you want it to be. Get accustomed to creating goals based on awareness for extra motivation, for yourself and your patients. Plan for success!

Healthcare: Positive Focused Attention

Do you notice consistent patterns in your life that you find irritating? Someone mentioned to me, ” I always make the same typo over and over again”, and it was driving her crazy. My first thought was that you get more of what you focus on. If she didn’t give it so much attention, I think it would become a non-issue.

Have you heard people say they never find a good parking spot. And then the next person says that they always get the best spot. What’s the difference between these two people? Could it be their focus and expectations?

I love to people watch and have found this to be a fairly consistent principle. I have met some people who report that they always have to prepare for the worst case scenario. There may be a fine line between getting things in order just in case, and putting yourself in that place emotionally so that you don’t get your hopes up too high just to be disappointed. I think it’s fine to make sure you have things in order, such as having your financial papers in order, inventories, discussions, …. Yet when a person considers all of the possibilities for failure and disappointment and emotionally playing the ‘what if’ game,  there is the potential for getting your brain engaged and working on creating that exact result. ‘What if” takes a lot of thought and energy, and your brain starts to connect the dots.

It can also do the polar opposite for your benefit. When you consistently dream in detail how wonderful things could turn out and are truly grateful for all of the good that comes your way, you continue to build the foundation for greatness exponentially! Imagine how this translates to health, or your workplace. Which environment would you rather be in; doom and gloom or positive creative out of the box thinking? It’s an exercise in letting go of fear and taking risks. You practice that and continue to make the best of what you experience and your brain is consistently looking for the best outcomes. And better yet – you may even find it contagious. Yay!

Healthcare – Caregiver Awareness

I am currently watching  Oprah’s Life class on Newton’s Law and learned a really good lesson about caregivers. She pointed out that caregivers frequently become resentful after many years of people turning to them for help. And that by recognizing that emotion, you have the opportunity to stop and consider the why behind what you are doing. Are you still offering care because it’s what you love, or because you also like to say that you were the lifesaver, or are you getting burnout? If you are doing it for the bragging rights, that’s probably not reason enough to carry you through and thus the eventual resentment. So it is at this point that you get to stop and decide if you can continue on giving with love. If not, perhaps it is the best time to learn the power of saying ‘no’ out of love. It is not selfish to say no. Sometimes it is more loving to say that you can not continue rescuing them and that they need to find another alternative.

Truth is love, and sometimes it isn’t all pretty. It also important to understand and own your  feelings and archetypes; including burnout, resentment, rescuer, lifesaver, martyr, … and respond accordingly.  I recently learned from Terry Goss and Associates that first you name it, and then you can slay it. Very powerful lessons all on the way to your very own transformation.

Healthcare – Have an Obstinate Stain?

First let’s review a definition of obstinate – stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so. Then we have to ask why, why, why? What has you so stuck? How is that working for you? Being obstinate can be used to your advantage, or a distinct disadvantage. Here are some possibilities you want to be aware of.

• Are you absolutely certain that yours is the only absolute correct answer?
• Are you tired of not ‘being right’ – and doggone it – it’s your turn to be right?
• Did you feel wronged and this is your way of making you right? Even if it hurts you the most?
• Is it due to embarrassment of knowing yours wasn’t the best solution, but if you hold on long enough you might prove it any how?
• You need a ‘win’ for your self esteem, or to impress your boss or coworkers?
• You are incapable of compromise on this subject?
• You want to save the day, you know you have the right answer?

For the sake of team work and improving your reputation would you consider these alternative options?

• Perhaps there is more than one correct solution.
• People may have different solutions based on their prior experiences – they may have a perspective that you had not considered.
• You improve your reputation by being open to other possibilities and encouraging the creative flow of ideas.
• Be willing to try someone else’s suggestion first, and if it doesn’t work – you still have the option of revisiting yours.
• There is no winning or impressing if you push your idea through and it isn’t the best solution.
• By joining the team and not being obstinate, you are more powerful and effective as a whole unit working together. Find the happy synergy of give and take.
• The world of non-compomise can be a lonely place. You may find yourself being edged out.
• If you are obstinate due to a previous insult or injury – you are only harming yourself by remaining stuck in the past. Most won’t even remember it – especially the perpetrator. So you are only hurting yourself by not letting go of the painful past and not proceeding with your potentially fantastic life. Perhaps the event wasn’t even about you and you misinterpreted it? And you are letting it hold you back? Both are your choices, choose to let it go.

One key to a great team is synergy and flow. Even if you are certain you are correct, it won’t matter if the team considers you obstinate to a flaw. There is an art to presenting your ideas and finding ways to move forward. It’s like having a fabulous white shirt that you can not get that damn spot out of.  When you can’t get rid of the spot, you have soiled the shirt. When you can remove the spot (or obstinance) it is a time to celebrate and shine. Recognize obstinance and make certain you know when it’s appropriate.

Healthcare – Mondays 14 Intentions

So how do you start your Monday? Do you lay out a course to navigate?

I like to start with a plan to do well for the day and then the week. Starting with some reminders, affirmations, intentions, call them what you like, I think it’s important to chart a course. I’m not referring to the to-do list, but the attitude list. So on my way to work, I review how I’d like things to go.

I plan:

• to be kind, helpful  and thoughtful
• to know when to speak and when to be quiet
• to be intuitive to others and my own highest good
• to be a good listener
• to be positive and not dwell on the negative
• to look for solutions and be ready to look outside the box
• to be alert for that little voice inside of me – and listen to it!
• to be empathetic
• to be cooperative rather than competitive
• to offer my best to everyone I meet
• to care for others and my own physical, mental and spiritual well-being
• to not get rattled if I get detoured, ommmmmmm
• to give everyone the benefit of the doubt
• to celebrate every chance I get!

Some might scoff at this list. I’ve had some say it’s too pollyanna, too pie in the sky, not realistic…  Is it really? I don’t think so. It’s served me well over the years. The  more I learn the more I fine tune it. For me it helps facilitate personal growth. By being aware and setting goals you make forward movement. The items on the list may seem ambiguous and vague, and not such a big deal. In fact, I consider them all of utmost significance.

Stop and consider your own goals, hopes and dreams for each day and week. Make your own list, review and tweak it as you progress. It raises your own awareness levels. With a quarterly review, you will be impressed with your own navigation skills! That is when you get hooked and become more adventuresome!

Why is Personal Growth Important?

To me, personal growth is why we are put on this planet. It is the reason for living! There are some that tell me they are too busy, or they are happy with who they are today. Could that simply be excuses, fear or avoidance? It is good and fine to like who you are. But if you have no intention of growing or changing, that means you are stagnating and decaying. Those are the choices we are given; growth or decay.

Personal growth includes so many different aspects of life. It includes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. And every little morsel counts. Even as in the picture, teaching a child to fish. There is learning, growing, caring, sharing, listening, interacting; all part of growing. As we grow as individuals we raise the bar for our species. We set an example of what can be. Who doesn’t want to do better? Who doesn’t want more peace and happiness? There is no happiness in lying, cheating, hoarding, judging, apathy and so on. So choose to find ways to do better than that, to rise above.

Many feel like they are in overwhelm and don’t know how or where to begin. It starts with the smallest of choices. Choose to do something kind for someone else and/ or yourself. Notice their reaction, notice how it makes you feel. That is what makes it easier to go on and do more.

• Open a door.
• Say thank you.
• Offer someone else to go first before you.
• Make a healthier food choice and notice the subtlety of how it affects you.
• Do 5 minutes of slow belly breathing and quiet your mind.
• Take a 5 minute walk in nature.
• Listen to music that moves you, and maybe even try dancing to it.
• Choose more positive media to expose yourself to.
• Clean out a drawer, a file, your car…..
• Ask someone how they are and truly listen with your whole heart.
• Give someone else the benefit of the doubt. Until you have walked in their shoes, you can not know if you would do better.
• When in judgement, ask yourself, is it possible that …  And consider at least 3 potential reasons or scenarios to broaden your perspective.

The very exciting thing is when you can see a business or organization that realizes this importance and promotes it from within. The potential for creativity, happiness and abundance becomes limitless. Like attracts like, so you become a magnet of all that is good. When difficulty does arise, view it as a positive challenge, a puzzle or mystery to be solved. Do this for yourself, promote it in your workplace.

Growth or decay – what is your choice?