Adaptability and Perseverance
From Meet the Robinsons, Lewis says it best, "Keep moving forward".
This morning, I took a break from studying and schoolwork to go on a drive and watch the sunrise, something I have seen thousands of times. No matter the day, the sun still rises as if unaffected by the trials of life. While it isn’t a true constant due to the gravitational battle with all other celestial bodies, from my perspective, it appears unchanged day after day. When I wake up in the mornings, I can always count on the sun being there.
In early adulthood, few things seem constant aside from bills and time. This post is meant to be one of driving forward without a hard fast plan and adopting a growth mindset so you may roll with the punches as challenges arise. This is especially important for those in fields rooted in change and growth, like healthcare!
Few things can be as stressful and intimidating as change. Not only is change difficult, but looking back on your choices can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and questioning of your decisions. Over the last few years, I have had to undergo a multitude of changes including moving a thousand miles across the country, starting graduate school, and getting married. In this time, I have developed a few strategies to help lift my spirits, recognize my successes, and persevere. Largely, my tactics stem from self-reflection and acceptance of when things are outside of my control.
It’s a universal experience to go through rough patches, feel like you’ve failed in some way, or are behind and not keeping up with your peers. Currently, I’m 24 years old, my high school classmates are moving into their first homes, having kids, and starting what I perceive to be “adulthood”. This fixation alludes to feeling as if they are ahead of me and I’m falling behind. Fortunately, I am becoming exponentially prouder of my accomplishments and know that I will have many more to look forward to as I keep working hard and trying my best.
An exercise that tends to creep into my mind when I feel overwhelmed or just plain don’t feel like I have the energy to study or work on a new project is imagining what my role model would do in my position. If you don’t have a role model, imagine an expert in your field or even the person you want to become. If I believe in my future self so much, what would he do in this situation? For me, this person would adapt and keep at it. Taking this change, accepting it, and doing the most with what they have.
An exercise for when you don't feel like you're doing enough is imagining yourself as someone you truly care for. Imagine what you might say to a friend or younger sibling if they were in the same situation that you're currently in. Would you expect the world from them? What would you want for them?
In Meet the Robinsons, Lewis says it best, "Keep moving forward".
*Information presented on RxTeach does not represent the opinion of any specific company, organization, or team other than the authors themselves. No patient-provider relationship is created.