Learning to take care of myself has been a lesson I have struggled with...and continue to struggle with. The quote listed at the beginning of this post is much easier said than done...as most words of advice are. Making my overall health and happiness a priority has just recently become a priority for me.
During high school and college, academics and working hard to attain my goals was my motivation for everything. I overextended myself in high school...at one point being on the cheerleading squad, marching band as 1st chair clarinet, while simultaneously being the captain of the flagline and taking the maximum amount of AP courses. Back then I was young, and my confidence was at an all-time high. I was smart--I had never failed an exam in my life and school was relatively easy for me (except physics...physics has never been easy for me in any stage of my life). My testing anxiety was non-existent in those days.
Then I got to college. No shade, just truth...but there are levels to colleges. Some colleges are more grueling than others. Some college are easier than others. Some colleges are more prestigious than others. Some colleges (by name alone) carry more weight in your academic future than others. I was blessed to have prepared myself though academics and entrance exam scores to attend a small, academically grueling and prestigious college in Brunswick, Maine. I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I worked hard, played hard and learned a lot...but the material was hard, and my anxiety worsened.
Medicine is not all white coats and roses, what do you do to relax and take care of yourself?
Relaxation is so important. I take care of myself by sleeping! Oh, do I love sleep. I also get a massage every Saturday or Sunday (depending on which day is my off day). There is no point in getting a massage for less than 60min, so I usually go for 90minutes (I splurge on myself). I spend time with my friends as much as I can (they keep me sane). Also, I made a vow to myself that every vacation I get in residency, I will make it a point to go on a trip somewhere. I recently took a trip to Vegas and spent 50% of my time there lounging in the bed and relaxing. Just being away was great therapy for me. I enjoy having dinners and wine after a long day on my deck overlooking the beautiful scenery that is Northwest Arkansas. I enjoy hanging out with some of my co-resident on the weekends. And I've been very lucky to have my friends come to visit me almost every weekend since residency began.
