Luck Happens

The cell phone rang Thursday afternoon, and my daughter Bridget picked it up and said, "Hi Joe." Joe is the artistic director of Fort Worth Opera, where Bridget performed last night in the world premiere of Zorro on the Fort Worth Opera Stage. (I happened to be there in Texas to see the performances.) She listened to Joe on the other end and said, "Yes, oh, ok, ok, yes, he is right here. Do you want to talk to him?"

Erik, my son-in-law, also an Opera singer, did not perform in the production on opening night but was acting as a cover for the main baritone character. When you cover a role in a show, you prepare the part and learn the music on the off chance that someone in the cast may be unable to perform, then you jump in at the last minute. Usually, the covers would attend all rehearsals to prepare, but in this case, due to Covid protocol, the covers learned the show over zoom with no stage preparation. 

Today was the day that preparation combined with opportunity created luck. Erik is to sing the role of General Moncada in the next two performances of Zorro. Covid testing took out the original cast member and caused a significant change in plans. 

Erik took the phone from Bridget and turned a little pale as he listened to Joe. Joe outlined how they would prepare Erik in the next 28 hours to go on stage Friday evening as General Moncada. It would be a significant cram session with the director, musicians, costumers, and choreographer. Keep in mind that he must sing in English and Spanish, act, learn stage direction, cues, costumes, costume changes, sword fight choreography, and everything else that he had not rehearsed.

He looked panic-stricken as he clicked off the call with Joe. He yelled out something that I would not repeat, shaking the house with his big booming baritone voice. How would he be ready to go on stage in a few short hours? After a pep talk from his wife, Bridget, and his voice teacher, Michael, he took off to the theatre to get to work.

Is it luck or hard work that gives you these opportunities in life? Is it possible to create your own good fortune?

Psychologist Richard Wiseman studied the lives of 400 people over ten years to see if certain people are luckier than others. He found that it may be possible to create your luck by adjusting your outlook and perspective. He discovered that unlucky people were often more anxious, timid, and stuck in the details. But lucky people were more laid-back and open to possibility.  Lucky people are more likely to be resilient and see a bit of "bad luck" as something to turn into good. They also were better at listening to their intuition and expecting the best, and their optimism may actually create better luck.

In this case, Bridget and Erik have put in the work. They have studied music for years, singing, acting, auditioning, and preparing for their break into the brutal world of Opera. They have done many shows and continue to hone their craft each day in preparation for that next big role. In this case, they happened to land the same show; you could say that Erik got a lucky break, but he would not have been hired to cover if the Opera company didn't think he could do it. He was prepared by many years of study and 28 hours of emergency coaching. 

If you do the work to prepare for the things you want in life, you will be ready to say yes and take action when the opportunity comes. There is no luck without preparation, hard work, and effort. Getting offered a part is not the same as being ready when offered the role and going for it. If you do not act, nothing happens. So the next time you see someone who seems lucky, remember that most of their luck comes from having a positive outlook and working to be prepared for the next opportunity.  

Preparation allows you to say yes to the opportunity and step into your good fortune. 

Congratulations, Bridget and Erik! You inspire me to keep working to be a better person.

Dr. Julie Cappel (Your Proud Mom)

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."― Seneca.

"I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." - Thomas Jefferson.

It is only one test.

This Friday, as I was casually scrolling through Instagram, I noticed that many of the veterinary students and new graduates were anxiously awaiting the scores of their NAVLE. The North American Veterinary Licensing Exam is the 360 questions multiple-choice test that veterinarians must pass to get their veterinary license in the United States and Canada. It is not enough for these students to get through four grueling years of veterinary school; they must also pass this monster, seven and one-half hour exam. Some Instagram stories contained videos of students along with their families opening the passing scores and cheering wildly. While I was typing messages of congratulations to those that passed, I couldn’t help thinking about those that did not. Those students must be devastated. 

There were no Instagram videos of the shock and sorrow of those that received a score of less than 425. I can only imagine the disappointment and panic they must feel when they miss the mark and realize that they need to take the exam again or give up their dream of veterinary medicine. Many of them have jobs lined up or need to work to pay back student loans.

How can we support our veterinary community when they face a failure like this or any other?

Listen and express empathy. When someone fails, they need to go through all the stages of grief before they are ready to move on. Depending on the gravity of the failure, they may spend much of their time grieving. As a friend or mentor, you can be there to support them and listen to their fears and frustrations. Having a safe, understanding friend is the best thing for someone during grief.

Help them to see the other side of their failure. Sometimes when we fail, we cannot see beyond failure to solution. As a friend, you may see several solutions to the problem at hand. If you offer solutions and remain open as they consider those solutions, it will go a long way in making them feel supported. When they feel supported, they will have an easier time overcoming self-doubt to find a way to try again.

Failure never defines you, but it is one of the things that often makes life difficult. Failure will always be on your pathway to succeed. The NAVLE is just one test on one day, and keeping that in mind will allow you to see it for what it is, a few wrong answers on an exam. Take some time to care for yourself then make a plan and get back to work. You will be stronger from this experience.  

Dr. Julie Cappel

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy.

Small Disciplines

Each January, I like to take some time to reflect and appreciate the experiences and accomplishments of the prior year. I do this exercise to remind myself to be grateful for the most important things in my life, good health, and time spent with family and friends. I also like to look back at my goals and resolutions from last year to see where I am on my growth journey. What things did I do well, and what changes will I make this year to be better?

In the book, The Fifteen Invaluable Laws of Growth, John Maxwell says, “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.”  Every small step we take towards personal development and growth will pay off in big dividends for our lives.

This week I am spending time at the VMX - The Veterinary Meeting & Expo in Orlando, Florida. As I attend various classes and hear from the brilliant minds of veterinary medicine, I gain an even stronger appreciation for this profession and the personal growth that it offers. The veterinary profession is one of variety and endless learning opportunities, both professionally and personally, and it is one of the main reasons I love this profession so much. It challenges and promotes us to grow. 

Why should we plan for growth each year and work towards personal development?

Through personal development, we think better and become more adaptable. When we concentrate on learning and growth, we can better embrace change and face adversity in our work and home environment. We feel more accepting of challenges and less likely to become anxious when things do not go as planned. 

Personal development increases motivation and decreases boredom. Goal setting is a significant component of growth. With each small goal and achievement comes the motivation to learn more and do more. When you are immersed in lifelong learning and working towards goals, you do not have the time to indulge in feeling bored.   

Learning and growing make us happier and more balanced. In veterinary medicine, we talk a lot about balancing our work and our life. Working towards personal growth and goal setting automatically creates balance for our life by challenging us to learn new and exciting skills. Self-improvement and accomplishment feel fantastic, so pushing yourself to improve is the first step to feeling more balanced. The balance naturally leads to the creation of more overall happiness. 

Many more benefits come from self-reflection, goal setting, and personal growth, but don’t take my word for it. Try setting up some small disciplines that you can do every day to help you live into your goals and dreams. Learn something new and branch out to things you never thought you would try. Remember, happiness comes from honoring yourself by vowing to change and grow each day.  

Dr. Julie Cappel

“Your mission is to become better today than you were yesterday.” ― John C. Maxwell, 

Building Memories

Over my holiday break, including the week between Christmas and New Year, I spent time in Florida. I was blessed to have my family visit, including my husband, parents, daughter and her husband, and my son and his girlfriend. The weather was delightful, sunny, and warm, but one of the best things I experienced during those days was shopping at the flea market and antique store with my Mom and my kids. 

Down the highway from the place we stay, they have a flea market that opens every Friday and runs till Sunday. There is a wide variety of things there, including antiques and refurbished home decor and lots (I mean loads) of junk. It is fascinating to look through the items and find unique treasures and many things that may be better off retired to the junkyard. My Mom and I spent one day looking through everything, and because my Mom has a great eye, we were able to pick up a cute little ladder that was repurposed into a plant stand and a bench that was perfect for my front porch. We also visited the antique store that same day, where we found a cute little antique table.

My parents, especially my Mom, have always been interested in antiques and collectible things. My Mom collects cowboy memorabilia, and my Dad loves things that relate to golf. I love old things too, but I don’t have an eye for genuine antiques; I like looking and discovering things that speak to me regardless of their value. I also love things that belonged to my grandparents and great-grandparents because I feel their connection to my past.

When the kids arrived for Christmas, I offered to take them to the antique store to see if we could find anything else -- Maybe some things that my Mom and I overlooked and if anything appealed to them while they were visiting. That second trip to the antique store was even more enjoyable to me because of the enthusiasm and excitement of the group of millennials/genZ. The “girls” and I found artwork and glassware that we just had to have, including a vintage hand mirror that my daughter discovered. It was beautiful and unique. My son-in-law was fascinated by the political memorabilia, and my son spent the whole time looking at old money - silver coins and paper money from confederate times. I enjoyed seeing them all hunt through the store and get excited by every find. The shopping experience was so much more valuable than anything that we bought, bonding with family over the discovery of interesting things.

Why do flea markets, antique stores, vintage things, and history appeal to us? We crave lessons from the past to help us appreciate the present and plan for the future. 

The Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says on their website, “To study history is to study change.” I would add that history helps us value those that have gone before us, learn from their mistakes, and understand their ideas. History also teaches us empathy for others. 

As we walked through the flea market, my Mom and I remarked how hard people of the past worked. They lacked so many of the conveniences that we have today. The people working the flea market are hard working also. Not only do they collect their things and restore them, but they also haul, stage, and price them, then spend every weekend selling to people like us. When I find myself complaining about my job, I need to remember how hard some people have to work for a living. 

History helps us relive our past, as in my Mom collecting cowboy toys from her childhood, and it helps my kids who were born into the internet age relate to people that lived long before they were born. History helps us see where we have been and allows us to predict our future.

 History is inspiring, fascinating, and fun. I recommend that you observe and appreciate old objects, read history books, talk to your parents and grandparents about their past. You can gather a new perspective about your life by gathering information and ideas from their history.

You can also enjoy an afternoon bonding with your family by opening up to the joy of flea markets and antique stores. Happy shopping!

Dr. Julie Cappel

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana’s

Start Something New in 2022!

What will you do with your 2022? Think about that. You have a year ahead of you (God willing) - that’s three hundred sixty-five days. 

 

I ask, “What will you do?” rather than “What are your resolutions?” because it is not about what you want as much as the actions that you take to get there. You have to think in detail, plan, and take action. Move and stick to your plan to get goals accomplished. 

Three hundred sixty-five days seems like a lot of time, but in truth, it will fly by if you don’t plan for it. Three hundred sixty-five days is 8760 hours. What will I do with my 8760 hours, and how will I use those hours to contribute to the world and live a better life? Wait, today is Sunday, and I am writing this blog. I am now down to less than 8725 hours, so the clock is ticking away my year already. 

What will I do with my 2022? When I ask myself this question, my first thought is, I don’t know. My thoughts are overwhelmed by setting resolutions or goals because I don’t want to fail. Fear of failure is something that keeps us feeling stuck in indecision. I know, you think, “I will be lucky just to keep my head above water, feed the kids and pets, drag my ass to work every day, and if I plan one vacation, it will be a miracle.” I want to challenge your thinking. That kind of scarcity thinking is what most often keeps us stuck. 

I do not want you to feel pressure or anxiety about your year, but if you don’t plan something and take some action, you will be in the same place next year that you are in today. So, let me help you get started by offering some suggestions. 

Start with reflection. Reflect on the things that happened for you and to you last year. What things went well for you, and what things didn’t? We make big plans most of the time, but life has a different idea. Thinking about what went well and what went wrong is the self-reflection needed to glean the lessons that your life offered to you. Even really terrible things have a way of helping you learn something important. Reflection helps bring clarity to your experiences. 

Allow yourself to Dream. I encourage you to do some dreaming at the beginning of the year to focus on what you want. Do you have debt that needs paying, vacations you want to take, certifications you wish to gain, or things you want to learn?

Dream big. I don’t just mean set “reasonable goals” that you know you can accomplish. Choose at least one goal that scares you and makes you feel those butterflies of anxiety in your stomach. If your brain starts screaming that you are not ready, you are in the right neighborhood. List those dreams out even if they feel impossible and vow to take them on.

Once you have your dreams and wishes in front of you, the next step is breaking them down into manageable baby steps. I want you to overestimate what you think you can do; there is no harm in that. Reaching any goal, for example, paying off debt, will be done twice as fast as you thought if you get intense about your need to take action.

Set your intentions and honor yourself. When you have some big scary goals written down, you will start to feel overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed and pushing forward anyway is where your power lies. Setting your intentions to act and honoring yourself to follow through despite your emotions creates success.

Choose a mantra or saying to keep you on track when you want to quit. Mine is always from my friend Rocky Balboa. “It ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Or “Every champion was once a contender who refused to give up.” You pick one that works for you, then read it every time you feel like quitting on yourself.  

Vow to be grateful and work to be better each day, and 2022 will open up for you.

Now get to work!

Dr. Julie Cappel

“How long should you try? Until.” ―Jim Rohn

“Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” ―Conrad Hilton.

Perfect Christmas

Yesterday was Christmas Day and mine was quite extraordinary. Most of my family was together - some via zoom. Everyone stayed healthy, and the weather cooperated - we are in Florida, so the weather is terrific. As I write this, my adult children play video games (silly Fortnite dances flash on the screen), eat pizza, and laugh like silly ten-year-olds sitting next to me on the sofa. These are the holiday memories that mothers long to experience.

Christmas is not always this kind to everyone. I have been lucky for the most part this year, but I know many have experienced significant loss, financial strains, long work hours, and disappointment during the holidays. Then there are the stresses we put on ourselves to provide the ideal holiday experience for our families: the perfect decorations, the perfect tree, the best gifts, the most delicious food. Our brains tell us Moms are supposed to provide all these things, but we never seem to feel accomplished. 

It is so easy to feel like a failure during the holidays. Scrolling through social media adds to the feeling because every other post is of a beautiful family dressed impeccably and looking perfectly happy. This morning I read a social media post from a veterinary Mom, extremely upset (enough to write a long raving post), that she worked herself to the bone to buy and wrap all the family gifts. Her husband didn't purchase a gift to put under the tree or anything for her stocking. She felt under-appreciated, disappointed, and distraught that she worked so hard to make everything perfect and no one thought of her. (I hear you and have been there, sister!)

How can a Mom live up to everything that a "good Mom" is supposed to do for the holidays and feel appreciated? Is there a way to anticipate the holiday, handle the responsibilities, and enjoy the day, even if it does not go as well as a Hallmark Christmas movie? 

Many emotions come with the buildup to the holidays, and the best thing that we can do is expect them. Spend some time in thought and meditation so that you can sort out your feelings. If something disappoints, don't forget that disappointment is part of living. Embrace your imperfections and find humor in the situation. Remember that some of the best memories come from failures. My kids have the best time laughing at the memories of awkward Christmas photos or gifts that did not go over well. Young children may not get it, but when your kids grow up, they will realize that the magic of Christmas is all about their parent's efforts to make them feel loved, not about any gift that they receive.

Remember that children cry, throw tantrums, and people fight behind the scenes for every beautiful family photo. Those photos don't make it to social media. Turkeys dry out, lights go out, and cookies burn in every home. Every time you feel as if you dropped the ball, another mom is out there doing the same. You are in good company. We have all failed at many things during the holidays and will continue to do so. Look around, take it in, laugh, and remember it all when you fail. Hang in there, mama; you have 364 days to prepare for the next Christmas.  

While I have been writing this blog, each family member has hugged me goodnight and retired to their bed. The house is quiet, and the dogs are lying by my feet. Tomorrow will be another day to enjoy my family together before they all fly back to their own homes. I want to appreciate all of it, the laughter, the cooking, the cleaning, the dirty dishes, and even the disagreements. While I tear down the decorations, I will remember the people that are no longer here that made my past Christmases great: My grandparents, my brilliant father-in-law, my favorite uncle, and my beautiful nephew. The memories that we hold and continue to create are what a well-lived life is all about. 

Christmas is not about perfection; it is about love. 

Dr. Julie Cappel

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” -
Mother Theresa

A Christmas miracle comes through work and persistence.

The hospital I have worked for the past 30 plus years, Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital, is a fantastic place with incredible people. Dr. William Mullan, our founder, created a veterinary hospital where the medicine was exemplary, and the team always felt supported and valued. I always believed that people make a workplace culture, and people create a safe space for clients and pets. That is Warren Woods. 

The pandemic affected our hospital and the profession in many crazy ways. The changes that we experienced contributed to us losing most of our doctors for reasons, including childbirth and retirement. Also, losing technicians and other team members for various reasons as well. One of our technicians landed her dream job working for a zoo. We were sad to see her go but thrilled for her opportunity.  

For the past year, we have been interviewing and struggling to rebuild our team with the quality team members that have always made Warren Wood Veterinary Hospital a place for pets to get the best care. Thanks to the persistence of our incredible hospital manager and our recruiter, who both worked tirelessly to set up interviews and hospital visits, we are happy to announce that we have two new veterinarians signed on to start work with us in the new year. Along with our current fantastic team, we will be in a much better place to handle all of the client demands and do better for years to come.  

We can all embody the persistence of this team when life becomes difficult, and the outlook for success seems bleak. Our hospital manager and recruiter practiced their persistence as we searched for the right fit for our practice team month after month, and their persistence ultimately resulted in our success.

Persistence makes the difference between success and failure. 

Persistence is “the firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition.” Most people do nothing or quit in the middle of their journey, and the quitting comes from the need to avoid the discomfort of pushing through when nothing seems to be working. Had our manager given into her discomfort of interviewing, scanning resumes, setting up zoom meetings, placing ads, and all the things she had to do to find our excellent new doctors, she would have never been successful in adding to our team. Without persistence, she would just quit and move on to another job herself.  

Developing your persistence will allow you to reach any goal that you desire. When the uncertainty or discomfort of the work arises, it is your persistence that will enable you to follow through to your miracle. 

Know what you want and why. Before you can practice your persistence, you need to know what you want. We wanted terrific veterinarians to join our team, and we went after them. Understanding your needs, wants, and your why is the basis for building your ongoing mission.

Pull out your passion. If you are not passionate about your workplace, you will have difficulty persuading others to work with you. Passion breeds persistence by opening up your mind to innovative ideas while recruiting. If you are not passionate about your job, why would others want to join you? 

Take some small action daily. When creating something big, you need to work on it persistently. Small actions taken over days, create weeks of results. Discipline to activity leads to persistent work on your goal. 

 

Keep growth as your mindset. If you work to grow yourself from the inside out, there is nothing that you cannot do.  A growth mindset will keep you working when others want to quit.  Be aware of your negative thoughts, they will keep you stuck.

Christmas miracles are magic, but practicing persistence will help you create the magic to fuel your miracles.  Congratulations Warren Woods Veterinary Hospital!  Keep up that great work. 

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone.

Dr. Julie Cappel

“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” - Vidal Sassoon

“No great achievement is possible without persistent work.” – Bertrand Russell.

As the year ends, don't give in to procrastination.

"There are so many things to do and not enough time to do them." I often think this thought throughout the year, but it seems to fit even more in December. Something about the approaching year-end makes me feel pressured to get everything done quickly and efficiently. I need to accomplish big goals that I had set for the year and the day-to-day tasks and the immediate responsibilities that come with the holidays. Shopping, planning, parties, and family all add to the stress of the year's end. 

When we feel overwhelmed with daily chores and work tasks, our first instinct is to procrastinate. Procrastination is an act of fear, fear of failing, and everyone does it. We fear making a poor decision about any number of things, and so we avoid making any decision at all. We turn our attention to something that requires less focus and find ourselves deep in procrastination. I procrastinate this time of year by turning on the Hallmark channel to watch a Christmas movie. It does not matter which one, because they are all the same. The cheesy movies are my way of avoiding decisions and working on goals.  

We know that we are likely to procrastinate at the most stressful time of the year. How can we focus and overcome our fear of failure, make firm decisions, and get our work done?

Start with making a list (and checking it twice). Get all the things that need to be done out of your head and onto that list. What tasks do you need to complete to achieve your goals? If it is gift shopping and wrapping, decide which is the priority. Usually, shopping comes first, so complete it all before moving on. Then get to work on the wrapping. Once you know what you want to get done, you can prioritize the tasks and achieve the end goal. If you start to feel paralyzed in fear and procrastination, take the next small step from your prioritized to-do list.  

Avoid your distractions. It takes some level of determination to keep yourself from getting distracted. Distraction is the enemy of focus. If you know your triggers and catch yourself when you become unfocused, you can quickly turn yourself around. For me, that means staying away from the Hallmark channel. Remember that the decisions are what you are afraid of. If you can make solid and quick decisions, it will keep you from procrastination. Do the next thing on the list when you begin to feel overwhelmed. 

Beware of your excuses. My favorite is blaming others for my lack of focus. "Someone texted me and interrupted my work time, and why does everyone keep bugging me when I am busy?" These are the excuses that you will invent when trying to avoid doing the work that needs to be done. Your excuses are brain drama, and brain drama is just noise. Please don't listen to your drama and stay on track. Growth comes from knowing yourself well enough to ignore your excuses. Take responsibility for yourself and get to work. 

Get support. My best work comes after I have been coached by another driven person. Coaches and mentors have a way of helping you sort through your brain drama and get to the root of the procrastination. Reach out for help when you feel stuck in procrastination. You can change if you put in the effort to do it.

Get something done this week and share with me what you do.

Dr. Julie Cappel

"If you have goals and procrastination, you have nothing. If you have goals and you take action, you will have anything you want." - Thomas J. Vilord.

Respectful Disagreement

This week, there was a lot of uproar on veterinary social media about an article published in the Juneau Empire called “Veterinarian shortage dogs Juneau.” If you haven’t read the article, you may want to save yourself some time and skip it, but if you read it and have an opinion about it, you are not alone.  

The basic premise and intention of the article were to highlight the struggles of veterinary practices in Juneau, Alaska. Like many other states, veterinary practices are experiencing a shortage of veterinarians and increased client demands. The article started innocently enough, but then some things were said (allegedly/maybe, taken out of context) that set off a firestorm of comments - not so kind words - on social media sites. 

Here are a few of the comments that I read.  

“Dr. S… forgets that, “leftists female veterinarians” can castrate giant jack asses.” ,  “misogynistic right-wing (probably racist…) cis white male…”, “Old White Man.” and lastly, “He can f—-ing twist in the wind.”

Fine, I get it; I was briefly offended by some of it too, but should veterinarians attack other veterinarians? What have we become when our need to be right causes us to degrade and insult another human being, especially one of our fellow professionals that we profess to care about so deeply?

My point in bringing this to my blog is not to shame anyone for their anger. Anger is a valid emotion that we all feel at times. We need to feel the insult and become angry about it, but then better handle our negative emotions. We can do better than lashing out. If we lash out with a personal attack, we repeat the same mistake of the person who insulted us. 

How do we disagree without lashing out?

Do not blame other people for your emotion. Other people don’t make you mad; your thoughts about their comments and opinions make you mad. You have control over how you react to that anger and how you express your differing opinion. You can disagree in a calm, logical manner and probably get your point across better than when you hurl insults.  

Work through your anger before responding to a post or comment online. When clients leave a negative review about me or my practice, it hurts, and I may react by becoming angry or sad about their unkind words. If I act on that anger, I will not respond as my best self. Take some time to process your anger before you respond. Work through it, meditate on it, or feel it all the way through.  I call it the 24-hour rule, and it means that you need to process your feelings overnight so your response will be well thought out. Wait 24 hours before commenting on a Facebook post if you feel yourself typing insults.

I am all for disagreement and debate; it is part of healthy communication. As part of keeping our profession healthy and intact, I would love to see all of us come together and support each other even in our disagreements and diverse opinions. I hope that the veterinarians involved with this article and the ensuing comments are safe and well. I hope that all of them feel heard and valued.

I wish that we will keep working to feel better and do better for the sake of our noble profession.

Dr. Julie Cappel

“I don't have to agree with you to like you or respect you.” ― Anthony Bourdain

“Love is wise; hatred is foolish. In this world, which is getting more and more closely interconnected, we have to learn to tolerate each other, we have to learn to put up with the fact that some people say things that we don't like. We can only live together in that way. But if we are to live together, and not die together, we must learn a kind of charity and a kind of tolerance, which is absolutely vital to the continuation of human life on this planet.” ― Bertrand Russell

Thankful, Grateful, and a little "SAD."

This week we celebrated Thanksgiving, better for most of us this year because we are moving beyond Covid and living a more normal life. Gatherings are now acceptable, and there is far less fear and uncertainty with the vaccines and many more effective treatments. As I cooked my turkey and got my Christmas lights in order, I began to think about the year that passed and how I was feeling a little sad overall. How did this year go by so fast? Why is it winter already? I love Christmas lights, my family, turkey, and even a little snow, so why am I feeling low? 

I must admit, as the days are shorter and the weather gets colder, I start to feel a bit trapped and a little down. As I get up in the morning, it is dark, and as I leave work in the evening, it is dark. I start to feel less energetic. I love bike riding and hanging outdoors in the summer, but it is not the same for me when Michigan's weather gets ugly and cold.

I look forward to Christmas, but the change in seasons can get to me, and I feel slow and less ambitious. I want to arrive home, put on my stretchy pants, and crawl under a blanket on the couch to watch some lame competition show like Dancing with the Stars or maybe binge-watch a Netflix series. 

There is a thing called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD that many people deal with each year, and because I am feeling a bit similar now, I thought I might do a little research on SAD to see what I could learn, and in turn, share with you in my blog. 

According to Norman Rosenthal, MD, who coined the term "Seasonal Affective Disorder" in 1986, 6% of people that live in the northern parts of the United States have SAD. Another 14% deal with a lesser form of SAD, called the "winter blues." I would add that some of us feel a bit off and struggle more with our ambition in the winter.  

The symptoms of SAD, as listed by The National Institute of Mental Health, are lack of energy, feeling sleepy, weight gain or loss, overeating, social withdrawal, restlessness, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. It differs from major depression in that people don't often feel hopeless or worthless with SAD, most still function well during the day, and of course, it does not stay with them all year. 

To combat SAD or winter blues, you must get some good quality sleep. As I tend to do, staying up too late feels productive but can add to your anxiety by disrupting the hours that you should be resting. It works best to adopt an evening routine by making tea or reading before bed. Pick a bedtime and stick to it; Netflix will still be there tomorrow. 

It would help if you also had healthy food, exercise, vitamin D supplementation, and sunshine. SAD is thought to be associated with increased melatonin and decreased serotonin. You can increase your serotonin levels by natural sunlight exposure (even if you have to walk outside in the cold) or artificially with a lightbox designed to mimic sun exposure. The lightboxes have 20 times greater light than your regular indoor lighting. You can do both if you feel inclined, but get yourself in some light, eat well, and move your body.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy and coaching can help you change your thoughts and behaviors to bring you out of your funk. Working on yourself to set goals and prevent yourself from couch surfing all evening enables you to feel better. I know that if I do some thought work, practice yoga, or get my butt on my stationary bike for 30 minutes, I will think, sleep, and feel so much better. 

Now that I know why I may be feeling low, I am thankful that I have good information, access to that information, and the tools to implement change. I am grateful that I will spend a few weeks in Florida this year, where the sun shines brighter, and it is easier to get outside. I am thankful that I have Christmas lights, turkey, and friends who read this blog each week to encourage me to research and learn about things like SAD and "winter blues." 

I vow to work on myself this winter to do better. Let me know if you want to join me by setting some goals to feel less "SAD."  

Please leave me a comment or email @jacappeldvm@gmail.com.

Dr. Julie Cappel

“With every new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” Eleanore Roosevelt

“The best way out is always through.”  Robert Frost

Better than Happy

Is there something better than happiness? This is a strange question coming from someone that makes a living trying to make both pet owners and veterinarians feel happy. I work to help veterinarians love their work and owners to keep their healthy pets, so you would think that happiness is a primary goal of mine, right?  

In reality, studies have shown that chasing happiness makes us feel stressed and disappointed when circumstances don’t go as planned - when life happens. In her article in Atlantic Monthly, Emily Esfahani Smith writes, “The single-minded pursuit of happiness is ironically leaving people less happy.” She goes on to say, “Research has shown that having meaning and purpose in life increases overall well-being and life satisfaction, improves mental and physical health, enhances resiliency and self-esteem, and decreases the chances of depression.” I would also add the skill of handling human emotion to the list that helps us create a stable and purposeful life. 

This week I had the pleasure to speak to a group of young veterinarians at the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association’s Power of Ten Leadership Academy. This group helps young veterinarians interested in leadership gain the tools they need to feel confident and competent in all aspects of leadership. I spoke about “feeling better” in my morning session. I taught them thought work techniques and basic coaching principles to increase their emotional capacity. Training yourself to be willing to feel any emotion without fear and building skills in emotional intelligence is a powerful tool. The power is to be willing and able to feel grief, anger, frustration, and stress - all the things we try so hard to avoid. The more we are willing to feel negative emotions, the better our life will be.

Meaning, purpose, and emotional competence are much more important than happiness. That is not to say that happiness does not come from doing meaningful things, but true happiness comes from creating your best life. I mean accepting the things that come, handling the emotions, and pushing forward anyway. You cannot achieve your best life without experiencing many ups and downs, successes and failures.  

How do we start working towards emotional competence and purpose?

Belong to a group. It may be family, friends, church, or charity, but purpose comes from feeling a sense of belonging. Find some people that value you for who you are. If that seems difficult, work on your thoughts about your current relationships. Is it possible that you do belong? Reach out to those of us in the veterinary community. So many of us are working to improve the profession, and we would love to have one more person involved in that mission.  

Set some personal goals and create your life mission. Goal setting pushes us forward and keeps us from stagnation. Expect some obstacles and failures and embrace them. Each minor setback will make you stronger and teach you how to manage your mind around obstacles. Overcoming failure creates success. Connecting to a goal and something bigger than yourself is a great way to build meaning and purpose in your life.

Work on your thoughts to create a better self-image. So much of our unhappiness comes from our lack of self-confidence and impostor syndrome. Thought work can help you see where your brain is leading you astray and help you feel your real value. We are all worthy of outside respect and love, but our feelings always start within. Creating a better opinion of yourself will help you push forward towards happiness, fulfillment, self-worth.  

We all have the power to change our life and create more happiness. Whatever your current circumstances are, know that they are better than happiness and choose your attitude. Your feelings will not change in a day, but if you work towards purpose and emotional competence, you will be working towards a meaningful life. 

You can be better than happy.

Dr. Julie Cappel

“Happiness is not the absence of problems; it’s the ability to deal with them.” - Steve Maraboli.