When you think back on your life, what were some of the hardest decisions you have ever had to make? Buying a house? Choosing a major? Deciding how to pursue your dreams? Accepting or rejecting a job offer? What decision gave you the most uncertainty while making it, and yet after the smoke cleared, gave you the most joy? We have all had those decisions that force us to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I just went through this myself a few months ago. Leave a job I love and pursue my passion in grad school……..or stay safe at my comfy job and be comfortable yet not challenged?
It is a hard spot to be. We never know what challenges will be thrown at us after our decision, yet we know we have to make one in order to move forward. How do we know we are making the right choice?? Do we ever really know until it is too late? What is too late? These are just a few of the many thoughts that have had scrambling around in my head, as I’m sure they have in yours too at some point or another. What process do you have to go through to reach your good-for-you decision? What makes a good decision the right decision? I truthfully can’t answer that. All I know, is that I try to go with my gut and then work like hell to make sure that decision is supported by my effort and determination. TRANSITIONS ARE HARD!!! All of the decisions we make are transitions. Heck, even choosing what I want for dinner is a choice that will either helps or hurt me. I can choose a healthy meal of veggies, protein and whole grains……or I can go with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy…..which one do you think will transition me into a better day the next morning? You have to choose for you. I don’t make my decisions for someone else (unless its affecting family, then you need to take their advise and consideration into account). I didn’t just make a choice to not go back to grad school and stay at my job because I wanted to make my boss happy. In fact I did the opposite…BUT THE CHOICE AND TRANSITION WASN’T FOR HIM. It is for me. To grow myself and my family's future. YOU DO YOU. Take a step back during your time of choice and decision. Look at the priority, the goal, the betterment that is coming to keep you strong during your moment of transition. Then go all in. ~Cassandra As a health professional (HP), I am expected to be a model of healthy living, free from injury and health complications. However, I have in the past experienced a string of injuries, sickness, and overall lack of health due to various reasons. This can cause some to look at what I have done or said, and question the validity of what it can do for them. All I can say to that is I am human; I am a human with error, flaws, complications, and vulnerability. Just as any health professional or living individual. Just because someone is in a certain field does not give them exception to complications, and in some cases can heighten the individual’s chances. I have seen others, not just myself, who have been ridiculed, for their own “methods” not working successfully on themselves. This has caused me to take a moment to chat about a few aspects people should try to understand: health professionals are humans who work a job, every body is different, and even trainers need trainers. Back in June 2015, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that health professionals were number 1 when it came to on-the-job injuries. These injuries were brought on by multiple causes, but mainly patient handling caused them. With one study citing a 20.7% 1-year work related injury rate, physical therapists assist clients in exercises, movements and numerous situations throughout their workweek. Nurses have a wide variety of possible patient handling situations such as hospital transfers, nursing room settings, private residencies and much more. Even your personal trainers and group fitness instructors are at risk for the same on-the-job injuries associated with their professions. Just as a construction worker faces concerns on a site, so does a health professional. It is not just injury, which the health professional (lumping anyone from PT to group fitness in this category) will face. A doctor, pharmacist, nurse, chiropractor, etc all have something in common with a truck driver, it is called being made up of cells that are not immune to disease. Just because they have a fancy doctorial degree hanging on the wall, or spend half their day teaching on a yoga mat, does not mean they are immune from the human aspect of life. However, there is a sort of unspoken assumption that these individuals should be health problem free, as they are the ones with “all the knowledge”. Any disease or illness will not discriminate with a negative diagnosis; I have met with many health professionals who have face cancer, depression, among many other conditions during their practice. Forms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among physicians and others alike, as they take in suffering daily, yet still have to go home to their families after their shift is complete. Health doesn’t come automatic and illness will not discriminate. Onto the claim that the HP must not “practice what they practice”, don’t know what they are talking about, or obviously “don’t have what it takes”. I have heard all of this to either myself, fellow professionals I network with, or have read it on other articles. First of all, every body is different, what I prescribe Client A, probably isn’t what I am going to do when I workout that night. It probably won’t line up with my goals, objectives, weaknesses, or personal body type. I might be leading Client A in a private yin style yoga session to release their body from a chronically tight, high stress day; whereas I am already a hypermobility individual who must focus on strength to maintain a healthy, functioning body. Let’s face it. Life would be very boring if every person wasn’t unique, it is the imperfect aspect that makes life so interesting. Just because an individual is sick, doesn’t mean they brought it on themselves, were not living a healthy lifestyle, or his/her philosophy to health is wrong. This reminds me of one of my yoga instructors in RYT 200 training, who developed lung cancer without warning or cause. She was a healthy, young yoga instructor who had been practicing for quite sometime and lived a health lifestyle. I remember specifically that she joked about her diet being perfect with the exception of her favorite Doritos being a treat every now and them. She would always have to tell people that she hadn’t smoked, wasn’t an alcoholic, and did not have a profession that exposed to her to what people would typically assume. Yet it happened, she had to have part of her lung removed and most importantly she recovered, and still teaches today! Disease won’t discriminate, it happens. Lastly, even those who teach, treat, and train need someone to teach, treat, or train them sometimes. I remember going to an NeuroKentic Therapy seminar in North Carolina and being amazed at some of the chiropractors and physical therapists describing nagging injuries, auto immune diseases or certain illness that they had experienced in their own lives. Just because a chiropractor can put their patient back together after injury, does not mean they will not need an adjustment or two to keep their bodies in check. The other day I met up with a fellow personal trainer to double check my squat, deadlift, and kettebell swing form just to be sure I was executing them properly. Sure enough, she was able to pin point a few errors I was making, and a few minutes later I was doing the movements with ease and no pain. Afterwards, I help her open up her pectoral muscles, release through her upper back, and improve her posture, after she had been having tension headaches causes by lack of postural alignment. We helped each other, we learned from each other, neither of us being wrong or right, but helping one another perfect our respective abilities. That’s what makes a good HP, getting and giving help when needed. Health professions are looked up to in society as a wealth of knowledge and ability. Yet, sometimes they can be put on a pedestal so high, that when injury or life happens, people tend to stake fault in their skill as a HP. Human error and vulnerability is apart of life no matter what vocation you have chosen to follow. Be kind to your health professional, understand they have dedicated their life to helping you become a healthy individual free of injury and illness, but don’t expect them to be an angelic little butterfly that floats around without issues of their own.
As always, let me know what you think! Discuss, Comment, Enjoy! Cassandra Hewett A.A. B.S. - Health Education Promotion and Fitness Certified Essentrics-RYT 200 Yoga Instructor FMT Rocktape, NKT Practioner Facebook: Positively Balance - Essentrics and Health Email: [email protected] References Health Care Worker Injuries Due to Patient Handling Continue to Rise. (n.d.). Retrieved June 28, 2016, fromhttp://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2015/6/24/PatientHandlingInjuries/ Spector, M. P. (n.d.). Your Doctor’s Health Affects Your Health: Latest Reports on Physician Health Alarming. Retrieved June 28, 2016, fromhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-spector-md/your-doctors-health-affects-your-health_b_8987102.html |
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October 2018
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