"Energy vampires" are individuals who drain our energy and affect our emotions. As a veterinary professional, Dr. Cari Wise understands the significant impact anxiety and stress can have on those around us. In this episode, she shares her personal experience as a practice owner and how it affected her interactions with her staff. It is crucial to recognize and understand the impact of anxiety and stress. She provides tips for veterinary professionals, including embracing imperfection, seeking support, learning from mistakes, and choosing empowerment. Healing our relationship with ourselves and letting go of control is encouraged. Signs of being an energy vampire include mood swings, blaming others, feeling responsible for everything, and dreading work. It is important to address internal issues rather than trying to change external circumstances. Veterinary professionals should prioritize their wellbeing and embrace the possibility of a better future.Website: https://joyfuldvm.comVetMed; JOY CLUBhttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the topic of getting fired as a veterinary professional.Dr. Wise emphasizes that getting fired does not mean that the individual is bad or not cut out for the job, and encourages individuals to approach the situation with curiosity and compassion, seeking to understand the experience and learn from it. The importance of organizations providing clear employee expectations and regular feedback in the workplace is highlighted, as well as the role of leadership in firing employees. Key takeaways from the context include:Getting fired does not define one's worth or value as a human being.It is important to approach getting fired with curiosity and compassion, seeking to understand the experience and learn from it.Employers must set clear expectations and give regular feedback in the workplace in order for employees to perform and grow.Sometimes getting fired has nothing to do with the individual and may be a result of organizational changes or position eliminations.Resource:Mentorship for Veterinary Practice Leaders- email support@joyfuldvm.com for information.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode Dr. Cari Wise shares about her experiences with unexpected events throughout the week. She discusses how unexpected events are a normal part of veterinary medicine and emphasizes the importance of recognizing that fear is often the root cause of the desire to control. Dr. Wise suggests focusing on emotional wellbeing and choosing our reactions to unexpected events. Despite the chaos and unpredictability, she explains how it is possible to maintain calm and provide good service to her clients. She encourages listeners to recognize their own ability to navigate unexpected events and let go of the need to control and be perfect.Website: https://joyfuldvm.comVetMed; JOY CLUBhttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the importance of setting boundaries, particularly with oneself. This boundary pertains to where one allows their focus to rest when they are not at work. Dr. Wise explains that many veterinary professionals tend to obsessively think about cases and events from work, which can lead to negative emotions and anxiety. She shares that it is crucial to set a mental boundary to prevent one's focus from dwelling on things that cannot be controlled in the present moment. Two main issues that arise when one fails to set this boundary:First, they continue to experience negative emotions associated with the events of the day. Second, they lack awareness that they cannot change or control these situations in the present moment. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of controlling one's focus and redirecting it to something real and useful when the mind starts to wander into worry and obsession. She explains that worry stems from an inability to let go of situations and fear of the unknown and reminds listeners that veterinary professionals never control case outcomes or client behavior.By redirecting focus to the present moment and avoiding worry, veterinary professionals can improve their wellbeing and enjoy their lives outside of work.Resource: Vet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise, discusses the importance of time blocking and intentional focus to increase productivity and reduce overwhelm. She emphasizes the need to evaluate and eliminate non-essential tasks from the to-do list, and shares her personal experience of using time blocking to complete a stack of 19 medical records efficiently. Dr. Wise encourages veterinary professionals to challenge the belief that there is not enough time to make progress on tasks. She highlights the benefits of time blocking and intentional focus, including increased productivity and reduced stress.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise emphasizes the importance of continuing to make efforts even when we don't see immediate results, using a personal story about befriending a feral cat to illustrate the point. Dr. Wise encourages listeners to have faith that their efforts are accumulating beneath the surface and that eventually, their desired outcomes will become a reality. She concludes by reminding listeners that their only job is to take the first step and continue persevering through the journey, as this is the key to achieving their goals.Key Takeaways:It is importance to persevere on the journey toward achieving goals.We must embrace discomfort and uncertainty in order to experience personal growth.Taking the first step and continuing the journey even when we don't see evidence of our efforts is the key to achieving desired outcomes.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from PixabayCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.comThank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode Dr. Cari Wise shares about the concept of resistance and its impact on our ability to pursue activities that bring us joy and fulfillment. She defines resistance as the internal pushback we experience when we want to do something but struggle to take action and provides examples, such as wanting to spend more time on a hobby or becoming more physically fit, but finding excuses or lacking motivation to follow through. Dr. Wise explains that resistance often leads to self-judgment, shame, and frustration; but that resistance is a normal and natural response, particularly when it comes to activities that are not considered productive by societal standards. She challenges the belief that work and responsibilities should always be prioritized over self-care and hobbies, and encourages listeners to prioritize activities that bring them joy and fulfillment. She warns that resistance arises when we try to break the habit of not engaging in activities we enjoy, and that our brains are wired to resist change and reminds us that resistance is not a sign of failure or weakness, but rather a natural response to breaking old habits and forming new ones. Dr. Wise advises listeners to push through resistance and take the first step towards engaging in activities they desire, as even dedicating a few minutes to the desired activity can often overcome resistance, lead to enjoyment, and are essential for achieving balance and alignment in our live.By taking control of our choices and pushing through resistance, we can improve our overall well-being and quality of life.Key Takeaways:Resistance is the internal pushback we experience when we want to do something but struggle to take action.Resistance often leads to self-judgment, shame, and frustration.Society tends to prioritize work and responsibilities over hobbies, self-care, and activities that bring us joy.Resistance arises when we try to break the habit of not engaging in activities we enjoy.Resistance is not a sign of failure or weakness, but rather a natural response to breaking old habits and forming new ones.Building new habits takes time and effort, and it is important to be patient and compassionate with ourselves during this process.Pushing through resistance and taking the first step towards engaging in desired activities can often overcome resistance.Prioritizing activities that bring us joy and fulfillment is essential for achieving balance and alignment in our lives.Personal well-being is not solely dependent on careers, and individuals can improve their overall well-being and quality of life by taking control of their choices and pushing through resistance.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the issue of bullying in veterinary organizations.She defines bullying as adverse behavior exhibited by veterinary professionals towards their colleagues, such as being short-tempered, avoiding conversations, making backhanded comments, and setting others up for failure. Dr. Wise emphasizes that bullying is often perpetuated by individuals in leadership positions, such as shift leads, office managers, owners, or senior veterinarians. The lack of business and leadership training in veterinary medicine is highlighted as a contributing factor to the prevalence of bullying. The consequences of bullying in veterinary medicine are discussed, including the formation of cliques and divisions within the workplace.  Dr. Wise advises listeners to leave toxic environments if their concerns are not taken seriously or if their morals, ethics, and values are compromised. Veterinary professionals are urged to interact with each other from a place of courage rather than fear and to speak up when witnessing bullying. The importance of building supportive cultures in the veterinary profession for the benefit of all is emphasized.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Bullying in veterinary organizations is a prevalent issue, often perpetuated by individuals in leadership positions.Bullying is driven by insecurity and a desire for power and control.Leadership positions come with the responsibility to treat everyone equally and evaluations should be based on clear criteria.The lack of business and leadership training in veterinary medicine contributes to the prevalence of bullying.It is important to leave toxic environments if concerns are not taken seriously or if morals, ethics, and values are compromised.Veterinary professionals should interact with each other from a place of courage and speak up when witnessing bullying.Building supportive cultures in the veterinary profession is crucial for the benefit of all.veterinary medicine, veterinarian, joyful dvm, veterinary technician, vet tech, vet life, vet life academy, joy vet alliance, emotional gatekeeping 

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise talks about the grounding force that birds provide in her life and encourages listeners to find their own grounding anchors. Dr. Wise explains how birds bring her back to what is real and help her navigate the chaos of the world. She encourages listeners to identify their own grounding items or activities and reminds them that veterinary medicine is just one part of their journey.Key Takeaways:Veterinary professionals often lose sight of their value and try to find self-worth through external validation.By intentionally shifting their focus and identifying their anchors, individuals can reconnect with their true selves and experience the fullness of life.Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  http://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyVetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In the first episode of the Joyful DVM podcast in 2024, Dr. Cari Wise addresses the issue of client shaming by veterinary professionals on social media. She emphasizes that blaming clients for the stress of the veterinary profession is not productive. The habit of client shaming, particularly in relation to euthanasia, is discussed. Dr. Wise expresses concern about a specific post that shamed clients for not staying with their pets during euthanasia. She argues that it is not the place of veterinary professionals to judge clients' choices and that staying or not staying during euthanasia does not reflect the level of care a client has for their pet. She reminds us of the importance of helping people as well as animals and urges veterinary professionals to be mindful of the impact of their words and actions on social media, and to consider the impact of their words on building (and breaking) trust with clients.Dr. Wise encourages self-reflection and understanding of one's own motives when expressing opinions. Key Takeaways:Blaming clients for stress in the veterinary profession is not productive.Staying or not staying with a pet during euthanasia does not reflect the level to which a client cares for their animal. Judgmental posts hinder the ability to help animals by creating doubt and mistrust in the minds of pet owners.Individual choices and opinions are powerful, but forcing them onto others is not productive.Self-reflection and understanding of one's own motives when expressing opinions is encouraged.Respect for the choices of others and recognizing that there are many factors that play into decisions about euthanasia is important.Judgment only fosters mistrust, and it is crucial to think before posting harsh opinions on social media.Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  http://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyVetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from PixabayRight Now save 66% on VetMed; JOY CLUB membership fees when you join before the New Year!Join to receive: FREE WORKSHOP ACCESS: Setting Your Intentions for 2024 (with replay!)Free Courses & MoreCheck it out at joyfuldvm.com/joyclub

In this episode, Dr. Wise shares the importance of prioritizing downtime in the veterinary profession. She explains that without regular downtime, individuals become stuck in a repetitive cycle, lacking the opportunity to create a different life experience.Downtime allows for the exploration of emotions and desires, which can lead to personal growth and the realization of a more fulfilling life. However, many veterinary professionals struggle with downtime, as they often spend their days off decompressing from work-related stress and anxiety. Dr. Wise encourages veterinary professionals to prioritize self-care and emotional management to break free from this cycle and create a more balanced and fulfilling life. She also highlights the need for emotional well-being education in professional programs to support individuals in high-stress careers. Ultimately, she encourages individuals to take the time to plan for their future and give themselves permission to want more in life.Key Takeaways:1. Downtime is important in the veterinary profession to allow for creativity and personal growth.2. Without regular downtime, individuals can become stuck in a repetitive cycle.3. Many veterinary professionals struggle with downtime and spend their days o3f decompressing from work-related stress.4. Learning to manage emotions and prioritize self-care is crucial for breaking free from the cycle of stress and anxiety.5. Emotional well-being education in professional programs can support individuals in high-stress careers.6. Prioritizing downtime allows for rest, rejuvenation, self-reflection, creativity, and pursuit of personal goals.7. Taking the time to plan for the future and embracing personal growth can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling life in and outside of the veterinary profession.Resources Mentioned:Vet Life Academy https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyRight Now save 66% on VetMed; JOY CLUB membership fees when you join before the New Year!Join to receive: FREE WORKSHOP ACCESS: Setting Your Intentions for 2024 (with replay!)Free Courses & MoreCheck it out at joyfuldvm.com/joyclub

In this episode Dr. Cari Wise discusses five important questions to ask oneself before the start of a new year. These questions are meant to help individuals create something bigger and more expansive for themselves in 2024 or as they begin any new journey. The first question is about recognizing and acknowledging the successes from the previous year. The second question focuses on identifying discouragements or regrets from the previous year. The third question delves into the excuses individuals make for not achieving their goals. The fourth question prompts individuals to evaluate if they want the next year to be similar to the previous one. The fifth and final question focuses on the willingness to do the inner work necessary to create something different.Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of doing the inner work and taking control of one's future.Key TakeawaysIt is important to recognize and acknowledge the successes in all aspects of life.Identifying and releasing discouragements or regrets can allow for a fresh start.Being honest with oneself and identifying excuses for unaccomplished goals is crucial for personal growth.Doing the inner work, understanding oneself, and changing perspective can create positive change in life.Happiness and wellbeing come from knowing one's power and taking control of one's future.Letting go of societal expectations and focusing on what truly matters is important for personal fulfillment.Resources: Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  http://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyVetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from PixabayRight Now save 66% on VetMed; JOY CLUB membership fees when you join before the New Year!Join to receive: FREE WORKSHOP ACCESS: Setting Your Intentions for 2024 (with replay!)Free Courses & MoreCheck it out at joyfuldvm.com/joyclub

In this episode Dr. Cari Wise discusses the challenges that veterinary professionals face when diagnostic testing comes back negative or normal. She shares a recent personal experience of feeling shame and self-judgment when expensive diagnostic testing came back normal , and explains that this is a common reaction among veterinarians when tests don't provide the expected answers. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of recognizing and challenging our own money stories and releasing self-judgment and control. She encourages veterinary professionals to get curious about their own emotional experiences, the stories they tell themselves, in order to shift their experiences in the moment. Key Takeaways:1. Veterinary professionals often feel shame and self-judgment when diagnostic tests come back negative or normal.2. The connection between money and self-worth in our society contributes to self-judgement and shame.3. Veterinarians create opportunity when they recognize and challenge their own money stories.4. Veterinarians are not responsible for the outcome of diagnostic tests, but rather provide options and recommendations.5. Not having an answer at a certain point in the diagnostic process is normal in veterinary medicine.6. Even if tests are normal, they can still rule out many potential issues and bring peace of mind to the client.7. Discomfort and fear are part of the human experience and should be acknowledged and explored.8. Letting go of the need for control and accepting that not every case will have a clear answer can bring peace and fulfillment in the veterinary profession.Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademuyVetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise explores the concept of avoidance culture and how humans have a tendency to try to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions. This behavior is rooted in our evolutionary past, where avoiding discomfort was necessary for survival. However, in the modern world, there are very few truly dangerous things that we need to avoid. Despite this, we still spend a significant amount of time and energy trying to avoid uncomfortable emotions and control situations that could potentially lead to discomfort. Dr. Wise emphasizes that discomfort is not always a sign of danger and encourages listeners to ask themselves what they are afraid of. By delving into the root of their discomfort, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of their fears and begin to let go of the need to control and avoid discomfort. She also advises questioning the lies we believe and focusing on what is true in order to shift our perspective and change our experience of any situation. By paying attention to negative emotions and identifying the lies we believe, we can redirect our focus to what is true and alleviate the pressure we feel. Overall, Dr. Wise highlights the prevalence of avoidance culture and the detrimental effects it has on our lives, and suggests that by challenging the lies we believe, we can let go of the need to try to control circumstances and avoid uncomfortable emotions and experience life more fully.Key takeaways:Humans have a tendency to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions, which is rooted in our evolutionary past.In ancient times, avoiding discomfort was necessary for survival, but in the modern world, there are very few truly dangerous things that we need to avoid.Constantly avoiding uncomfortable emotions keeps us busy and distracted, preventing us from fully experiencing positive emotions and enjoying our lives.Feeling uncomfortable is not necessarily a sign of immediate danger or a problem that needs to be solved.By asking ourselves "What am I afraid of?" we can gain a deeper understanding of our fears and let go of the need to control and avoid discomfort.Negative emotions are offshoots of fear, and by questioning the lies we believe and focusing on what is true, we can shift our perspective and change our experience of any situation.Paying attention to negative emotions and identifying the lies we believe can help alleviate the pressure we feel and make each day easier to navigate.By recognizing that discomfort is not always a sign of danger and challenging the lies we believe, we can let go of the need to control and avoid uncomfortable emotions, allowing us to experience life more fully and enjoy positive emotions.Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademuyVetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the process of building confidence. She reflects on her own experience of starting at a new veterinary hospital and emphasizes the importance of giving oneself time and opportunity to become confident in new situations. Dr. Wise encourages listeners to challenge negative narratives and "what ifs" that hold them back from taking risks and trying new things. She believes that as confidence grows, it becomes easier to enjoy the challenges that come with veterinary careers. Dr. Wise also reminds new veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and veterinary technicians that confidence is built over time and encourages them not to give up before giving themselves a chance to develop it. She suggests reflecting on the progress made and being resilient in bouncing back from challenges as important factors in building confidence for oneself. Some key takeaways from the context are:Confidence is not something that magically appears overnight but is built over time through real-life experience.Challenging negative narratives and "what ifs" can help build confidence and prevent one from being held back by fear and anxiety.Avoiding risks and playing it safe can limit growth and prevent fully experiencing life.Confidence is something that can be developed and should not be given up on before giving oneself a chance.Reflecting on progress and resilience can help boost confidence and find enjoyment in one's work.Resources: Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  http://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy VetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclub

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise discusses the impact of age in veterinary medicine. She explores how age can affect the perspectives and assumptions of both clients and veterinary professionals. Older clients may be assumed to have limited financial means or knowledge about veterinary care, while younger clients may be judged as irresponsible or unknowledgeable. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of stepping out of judgment and providing consistent recommendations and education to help clients make better choices for their pets. She also highlights the impact of age on veterinary professionals, with younger professionals experiencing imposter syndrome and older professionals feeling insecure around younger professionals. The key is to challenge these beliefs, believe in oneself, and practice self-acceptance and self-love.Key takeaways from this episode:Age should not be used as a determining factor for a client's ability to understand or make decisions about their pet's care.Older clients may have more resources and be more financially stable than assumed.Younger clients should not be judged as irresponsible or clueless, as everyone starts with limited knowledge and experience.Consistency in recommendations and providing education can help younger clients make better choices for their pets.Age can also impact veterinary professionals, with younger professionals experiencing imposter syndrome and older professionals feeling insecure around younger professionals.It is important to challenge our limiting beliefs and recognize that all veterinary professionals are qualified and have valuable contributions to make.Practicing self-acceptance and self-love is an essential component of creating a sustainable veterinary careerResources: Website:  https://joyfuldvm.comVet Life Academy:  http://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy VetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of recognizing that every person involved in veterinary medicine, whether they are professionals or clients, has their own personal lives and experiences that can impact their interactions. She explains that it is easy to become offended or frustrated by the choices and behaviors of others, but it is crucial to remember that their actions are a reflection of their own emotional state and circumstances. Dr. Wise suggests that instead of judging or becoming frustrated with clients' decisions, veterinary professionals should understand that everyone has their own challenges and focus on taking responsibility for their own wellbeing. By not taking things personally and approaching interactions with intention, our days can become more enjoyable and fulfilling.Key Points:The importance of recognizing that every person involved in veterinary medicine has their own personal lives and experiences that can impact their interactions.The need to avoid taking things personally and maintain a more outward-facing and compassionate approach.The holiday season in veterinary medicine and the challenges it brings.Taking responsibility for one's own well-being and not attaching self-worth to the decisions and behaviors of others.Approaching interactions with intention and understanding that every human has a story.Resources: Website: https://joyfuldvm.comVetMed; JOY CLUB -  https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubVet Life Academy-  https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode Dr. Cari Wise explores the impact of our thoughts and words on our lives and careers, explaining that what we focus on, we create more of energetically. By shifting our mindset to one of abundance, we can attract more financial opportunities and success. This principle applies to other areas of our lives as well, such as weight loss or relationships. Dr. Wise emphasizes the importance of aligning our thoughts and words with our desired outcomes to create a more abundant and joyful life and career. She also discusses the impact of negativity and victimhood in the veterinary profession and encourages listeners to choose a more positive outlook, reminding us that we have the power to shape our reality and create the life we truly desire.Key points include:The impact of thoughts and words on our lives and careersCreating abundance and flexibility in financesShifting mindset and adopting a new identityThe example of weight loss and changing identitiesThe power to decide who we want to be and what we want our lives to be aboutThe impact of negativity and victimhood in the veterinary professionShifting perspective and focusing on the positive aspects of the professionResources:VetMed; JOY CLUB: https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubVet Life Academy: https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, Dr. Cari Wise talks about the importance of compassion in the veterinary experience, both for veterinary professionals and clients. She believes that by understanding each client's situation and allowing them to make decisions about their pet's care, veterinarians can create a judgment-free zone that fosters trust and improves the overall experience. Dr. Wise encourages veterinary professionals to listen to their clients, educate them about their options, and remind them that they are ultimately the decision-makers. By connecting with clients on a human level and personalizing their experience, veterinarians can provide better care for their patients.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Website: https://joyfuldvm.comVetMed; JOY CLUBhttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Time for a gut check…Do you have the life you want?Are you totally satisfied with your life and career?If not… why not?List the reasons.Then, notice what you blamed…We are taught to believe our external circumstances create satisfaction…That it’s cause and effect….Ideal circumstances cause the experience of satisfaction, peace, joy, etc (effect).So we keep chasing the circumstances…Better job…Better co-workers…Better hours…Better salary…Less debt…Nicer clients…Fewer euthanasias…Yet, WE NEVER GET THERE.Here’s why:  As long as we continue to blame external circumstances for the state of our personal wellbeing, we make those circumstances responsible for our experience.This takes all of our power away.Blaming may justify what we are experiencing… but it does nothing to move us away from it. It keeps us right where we are energetically, which causes us to keep recreating the same unfulfilling experiences over and over.In this week’s episode I explain why blaming is one of the most life-sucking habits we have, and what we can do to break the habit so we can improve our lives and careers from the only place of true power: from the inside out. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

What's standing in the way of you having the kind of life and vetmed career experience you want?If you're like most of us, you probably just made a list of external variables...things like work environment, schedule, finances, other people, clients, the job itself...And, if you're like most humans on the planet, you've probably been working really hard to change or control those things believing when those things are different, then you'll be happier, less stressed, etc.Through your efforts you might have even recognized that you don't have much control over those things, and resigned yourself to the way it is while coming up with coping mechanisms to get through when it gets too rough.It's an exhausting cycle, and not much fun. So what if I told you, the approach you're taking is all wrong?"Fixing our lives" does not require external achievement or the cooperation of others.It's an Inside Journey, requiring us to only discover and embrace more of who we really are as individuals.The greatest obstacle is trying to be like someone else.The world doesn't need another "them"... it needs YOU!Last year I took a small group of veterinary professionals on journey of self discovery. Recently we reflected together on that journey and how their lives have changed since beginning our work together. As they shared common themes came up like ease, going with the flow, living their lives, pursuing their interests, work being easier...Goals and dreams that started as "some day" have become reality for many and are tangibly in progress for others. The transformation has been more than any of us anticipated when they began.The best part, they didn't have "work hard" to make it happen.In this episode I shared about that journey and why it's essential that we all embrace the journey of Self Discovery if we ever want to make lasting change in our lives. In this episode: Free Masterclass: The 5 Keys to VetMed Career Alignment https://joyfuldvm.com/5keysMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Someone wants the job you have.They want those 3 letters behind their name.DVM, VMD, RVT, LVT, CVT, CPM...They hold close the dream of becoming exactly the veterinary professional you already are. Their vision of life working in VetMed brings them joy.They can't wait to get there... to help people... to help animals.Do you remember what that was like?Do you remember when you held the vision, had the dream and believed all the hard work you endured along the way was worth it?Is all of that still real for you, or has it faded?Has it been replaced with bitterness and defeat?If it has, why?Many of us who are in or approaching burnout in our careers blame the career itself. It's the hours, the pay, the demanding clients, the toxic coworkers...I personally don't believe any of these things are the root cause. The job hasn't changed.Working in VetMed was always going to include challenges... it always has.The world itself was always going to be changing... it always does.And the people we interact with were always going to be unpredictable... they always have been.You were already equipped for all of this when your journey began.As I've said many times before, VetMed doesn't actually ruin lives. It simply brings awareness to the areas in our own lives where we have work personal to do.It's a catalyst for self discovery and personal growth. And when we struggle with self-worth, self-value, self-confidence, and self-acceptance, VetMed jobs feel especially difficult.From this place, we often discourage others from pursuing their dreams.But, why?To what end?What do we gain when we discourage others from pursuing their dreams?The answer: Nothing.We simply reinforce the limiting beliefs we have about ourselves and our choices. We trap ourselves more firmly in our limiting beliefs.We block opportunity to create a better experience for ourselves... the experience of our visions, of our dreams and of unlimited potential in the future. You already have what someone else wants.More importantly, you have what YOU wanted.Don't let someone else's opinion of your circumstances change what you believe.Don't adopt the negative perspectives that are shared with you.Protect your vision, your dream, your future.Tackle your own demons. Embrace the opportunity to know yourself.When you do this you become untouchable and unstoppable...You become the best kind of example for others and the joy and satisfaction in your own life expands.Not sure where to start?Check out VetMed; JOY CLUB where alternative perspective and inspiring content get delivered right to your inbox or mobile device multiple times each week.Resources: VetMed; JOY CLUB https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by

Trigger Warning... this week on the podcast I tackled some very sensitive topics. There are some hard truths in veterinary medicine about what we are doing as veterinary professionals that keeps us creating terrible experiences for ourselves.When those terrible experiences compound, terrible things often happen. I'm talking about end points like relentless anxiety, depression, burnout, suicide, homicide...We must become aware of our role in our reality.We must become the creator of our own experiences. This week  I didn't hold anything back. Here are a few points from this episode:Shit rolls downhill. If you are a practice owner, or on-site medical leader or chief of staff in your practice, the state of the workplace culture is on you... and it starts with you and your personal behavior. When you start to see disrespectful, aggressive, condescending, and bullying type interactions between the people who work for you, then it's on you to foster change in that environment. Do not deflect it, do not delegate it. You are the top of the top. This is your practice. So even if you have an office manager, even if you have a practice manager, even if you have a lead technician or a lead doctor in your hospital, it's still on you. As long as we can continue to stay in jobs that do not include a safe and supportive work environment, we will continue to foster the existence of unsafe and unsupportive work environments.Many of us share a misguided belief system that we must stay at our jobs because if we leave, we're abandoning the people we work with and we're abandoning our clients and we're abandoning our patients. This is untrue.The reason that we stay in positions that we actually don't feel aligned with anymore is from fear. Fear of judgment, fear of of isolation, fear of not being accepted, fear of somehow that means failure. We can't create better life and career experiences from fear.You are perfect exactly the way you are. You have opportunity for growth and expansion and and experiencing things well beyond what you experienced in this current moment, %100. You have the right to goals and dreams and bigger things in the future, 100%. And you have the capability of creating all of it.The bottom line is this... if we don't take personal responsibility for the role we play in creating our own life experiences and veterinary career experiences, then we will continue to experience our lives and careers in exactly the form they are in today every day in the future.https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

I'm wondering... what's the story you tell about your life as a veterinary professional?What I mean is, what are the first things that come to mind when you think about the work day ahead, or life in general as part of the veterinary profession?It may seem like a strange question, but the answer is life-altering... literally!See, we all live our lives through the lens of stories...Stories about our identities...Stories about our performance, value and worth...Stories about our careers...Stories about past events...Stories about future possibilities (and impossibilities)... When those stories are negative then we keep creating and engaging in negative experiences for ourselves.Unfortunately, "negative" is the hardwired view most of us have of the world. It's a hold-over survival instinct that actually doesn't help us in the modern world, but absolutely does limit positive experiences!The good news... we are the writers of our own stories!  We can change our stories whenever we want, and learning to do so is a life-altering skill!In this episode I explain more about the impact our stories have, and specifically dig in to how the stories most of us tell about our VetMed careers limit the wellbeing we experience at work, and in our entires lives... and how to stop this pattern!https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Do you want to experience job satisfaction, wellbeing and a sustainable work load?No matter what role you hold in Vet Med, it's very difficult for you to create that type of experience all on your own.Veterinary Medicine has changed drastically over the last 50 years.Our knowledge base has expanded.The types of services we can provide has grown.The expectations from clients have elevated.The demand for veterinary care has increased significantly.And, here's the rub...The old way of doing things just isn't sustainable.Working harder, faster and longer isn't the answer.The team approach is the only way we will ever experience balance, wellbeing and a sustainable work load.This requires us to utilize and leverage our veterinary support staff.There is great opportunity in empowering and delegating to our credentialed veterinary professionals.But, most of us don't do that.Why?Perfectionism, control, fear... they all play into why we keep hanging on to old ways of approaching our veterinary careers.The cost:  burnout, low job satisfaction, stress, anxiety, exhaustion, low quality of life(the list could go on)RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEWebsite: https://joyfuldvm.comMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Our world is a whirlwind of busyness.In VetMed we race from appointment to appointment for hours each day.Other aspects of our lives often get pushed off as we run low on time and energy.This cycle continues as time continues to pass.From time to time we become aware of what we haven't accomplished, yet.Our goals and dreams seem so far away.And in the distraction of it all, we totally miss how far we've come.In a world that is constantly moving forward at a frenzied pace, we must periodically take time to look back.We must celebrate how far we've come, the challenges we've conquered, the growth we've experienced.Without these moments of reflection, it's easy to conclude we haven't accomplished anything...... that we've wasted our time...... that we've made no progress toward our goals...Those conclusions are NEVER true.You have made progress.You have experienced success.You have accomplished big things.Take a moment to remind yourself of all that you've done.Celebrate your efforts and achievements.Remind yourself that you are capable of creating all that you dream.The evidence and encouragement is all around you.In this episode I take a look back at all we've accomplished since starting Joyful DVM in 2017. The list is very humbling, a bit mind-blowing, and strong evidence that our mission resonates with the veterinary community.Thank you for being a loyal listener and helping us to reach this most recent goal.If our podcast has made a difference in your life, I hope you'll share it with a friend.Resources discussed in this episode:VetMed; JOY CLUBhttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

The scope of veterinary practice is continuously expanding. We are always learning more about animals, their physiology, and their medical conditions. We are regularly developing new treatment modalities and skills. The days of a veterinarian being all things to all patients and treating all ailments are long gone. Embracing this reality, however, is taking a little longer. The ability to refer a case to a fellow veterinary professional, specialist or not, is a great opportunity in our profession.Intentional referral is not only in the best interest of the patient, it is also in the best interest of our personal wellbeing. Don't underestimate the negative impact hanging onto a case you'd rather refer is having on your net emotional state...Despite this, many of us resist referring out cases... But why?It comes down to Shame and Fear, which are both tied up in judgement... judgement of self, and judgement of others. In this episodeThe links between shame, fear, and judgementThe three situations in which referral is a great choice (and no, it's not limited to the really critical and really sick ones)What keeps us hanging on to cases that we don't really want to manageThe opportunity we have collectively to improve our job satisfaction and wellbeing by working in a more synergistic wayIf this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend and consider leaving us a review on wherever you listen to podcastshttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

When a client says, "I read online that..." many of us cringe.Dread and frustration often bubble up.We become defensive and impatient.But why?Today more than any time in history, information is easily available.Unfortunately, misinformation is easily available, too.However, it's not our job to police the internet.Our job is to help the client and patient in front of us... that is all.So what do we do when client begins sharing everything the internet told them, and maybe even trying to dictate how we treat their pet?We start by taking a breath!In this episode I share how you can navigate these interactions in a way that is powerful and professional for you, but also supportive of the client and patient in front of you. A client who values information is a great client to have, and one you can always find common ground with when you are willing to both listen and share. But remember this:  You never have to compromise the way you practice medicine. Your approach to any case is yours alone to decide. Clients can accept your recommendations, or not. That part you'll never control. But feeling frustrated about the information and perspective they arrive with... that part is always optional. Take a listen and learn how you can gracefully navigate these conversations with your wellbeing intact and your mind at ease.For more tips on improving your personal wellbeing, visit https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Internal conflict in veterinary hospitals is a very common occurrence.In addition to being super-uncomfortable to witness, it also has a very real and negative impact on client service and patient care.Everyone who is aware of the conflict plays a part in its perpetuation if they don't speak up.When we ignore the conflicts, or avoid them all together, we actually create space for them to continue to grow.And make no mistake, ongoing conflict within a veterinary hospital is absolutely having a negative impact on client service and patient care.Thankfully there are things each of us can do to help foster a pathway toward conflict resolution. In this episode I share a process for diving conflict resolution including:Avoiding gossiping about the conflict (this only makes it worse)Not ignoring the conflict (it's having an impact, even when you ignore it)Escalating awareness of the conflict to the appropriate level of leadership (don't assume they are aware its happening)Gathering information (seek to understand both sides though individual conversations)Identifying specific examples and impact (in the moment, people in conflict are often in tunnel vision and don't realize how they are behaving or being received)Discussing together with both parties (create a safe place for them to share with each other)Clarifying expectations for professional behavior (bring everyone back to the mission)Following up with timely feedback in the weeks that follow (reinforce expectations as needed).The bottom line is this...As uncomfortable as it might be to have conversations about conflict, simply allowing the conflict to continue unaddressed is much much worse... for you, your team, your clients and your patients.If this episode hits home, please consider sharing it with friend and leaving us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts!For more information on how to Leverage The Space to protect your own emotional wellbeing when conflict occurs, check out Vet Life Academy. https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Money...It's an inevitable component of the practice of veterinary medicine, and a potential source of anxiety for everyone involved.As veterinary professionals, many of us get a little nervous talking about prices and going over estimates with our clients.We brace ourselves for the "you're only in it for the money" statement we've heard so many times before. It hurts. It's not true. But what is true is that we all have our own opinions about the prices that we charge... ... and when we don't believe in the prices attached to our products and services, then recommending and selling those things feels really icky.It adds a whole new level of pressure we didn't expect when we were in school...A level we'd rather live without.But why?Because, just like our clients, we have our own financial situations. We have our own budgets, our own expenses, and our own uncertainties about what things cost.Also like our clients, we really care about the pets, and we want to help them... and it sucks when money seems to get in the way.I've found one little sentence at the end of a pricing conversation makes all the difference.It allows clients to physically relax, and veterinary professionals to release the pressure of the decision. In this episode of the Joyful DVM Podcast, I dig into the three aspects of money that are creating the pressure we feel, and share the one sentence that releases the pressure so we can move forward together with our clients in providing the best care for their pets in the moment. If this episode hits home for you, please share it with a friend and leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you're listening.LInk: VetMed; JOY CLUBhttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

When it comes down to it, creating balance in your life is simply math.We all have the same number of hours in a week... so how do some people seem to get more done with the time they have?How do they have time for hobbies, travel, self-care, families, relationships... It's all about focus.Two types of INTENTIONAL focus play key roles in creating balance in our lives.There is one area that deserves Much Less focus than we give it.There is a second area that doesn't get nearly what it deserves.The result: A life that's consumed by all things VetMed at the expense of our balance, and often our wellbeing, too. In this episode I break down the math and show you exactly how to adjust the numbers to create an entirely different, and way better, experience for yourself!Resource:VetMed; JOY CLUB https://joyfuldvm.com/joyclubMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Who are you fighting against?Where is the need to be "right" popping up in your world?In what ways do you sit in judgment over others' choices and actions?When we stop to consider these questions, many of us can find a list of examples of this type of behavior in our own lives.It's become an accepted way of being... a survival mechanism many of us deploy.It's also destroying our confidence, our work environments, and our ability to create a different experience for ourselves in the future. In this episode I explore the different ways "us against them" is showing up in VetMed, and in our lives as veterinary professionals. I share what really drives this behavior, the negative impact it's having, and why we must identify it and change it not only for ourselves, but for the future of our profession as well. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

"I just don't have time."When was the last time you said that?How often do you use it to justify a decision?Are you blaming it for the condition of your wellbeing?Many of us are, and we don't even realize it.A culture of busyness is common in the world.It keeps us in frenzied action.It has us believing that doing more, and being faster are both positive attributes of worthy and successful people.The truth is, that type of existence only leads to exhaustion, compromised emotional state, and unbalanced experience.You aren't supposed to work all the time.Believing that overworking is necessary is a harmful lie.Believing if you work harder you can outrun this lie is even worse. In this episode I explore what's really going on when it comes to the way we spend our time, and put forth a challenge for all of us to try a different approach this week.You might just be surprised how much time you gain when you shift your perspective.Resource: Vet Life Academyjoyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Most of us don't enjoy being around negative people...... but we don't recognize we're one of them ourselves.We want to embrace a positive perspective...... and then we argue against its existence.We want the future to be better than what we are experiencing right now...... but we resist the very simple things that will make it so.The culturally accepted habit of negativity is what keeps us stuck right where we are.In veterinary medicine it perpetuates the worst aspects of our profession.Whats even worse, we believe "it is what it is" so we don't even fight to change it.We accept that days will be emotionally draining.WE'VE STOPPED THINKING FOR OURSELVES.Friends, a different experience will require a different approach, and it begins with questioning what we believe and how we behave.In this episode I break down negativity, positivity and optimism.I share why it is so critically important to interrupt the cycle of negativity for yourself, and I explain why you don't need to wait on everyone else to adopt your positive perspective before you begin making profoundly positive impacts on your future all on your own. If this episode resonates with you, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us a review on iTunes and share it with a friend!For more information and resources, visit https://joyfuldvm.com and keep an eye out because Vet Life Academy will be opening soon. To join the waitlist visit joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy .Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

When we are unhappy or discontent in veterinary medicine, or any area of our lives, we begin searching for the cause.We then draw conclusions about our circumstances and determine the way to be happier is to get away from the "bad" circumstances we've identified.In VetMed these "bad" circumstances are typically jobs, fellow veterinary professionals, clients, student loan debt, scheduling, staffing, etc.When we can't get away from those circumstances, we begin a habit-pattern of negative thinking about them... and this sustains the emotional misery we experience.What's worse, it's nearly impossible to make the decisions needed to change our circumstances from that low emotional state. Thankfully, there is a much better way!In this episode I share the 3-step process of Starting Over that guarantees you will begin feeling better immediately, even before your "new circumstances" become your reality. This process absolutely essential if you want to create a new experience for yourself.Best part, it's pretty easy too... as long as you commit a little bit of time to it on a regular basis.Ready for a fresh start? Listen now!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Hopping from job to job is a common coping mechanism in Vet Med.When we hit the breaking point of discomfort in our current jobs, we start looking for a new position.We justify it with a list of all things that are "bad" or "wrong" in our current job, and set out to find an alternative. When we find it, we feel excited, relieved, and even validated in our choice to leave.So, for most of us, this coping mechanism kind of works, at least for a while...At least until the issues from the old job become evident as issues in the new job as well.And when those old issues create a breaking point of discomfort in the new job, the cycle begins again... looking for a better alternative, the one that will allow us to be happy.After a few cycles of this, we start looking for alternative careers, or total exits from all things veterinary medicine... We wonder if maybe we weren't cut out for this profession after all...We conclude the profession is toxic and broken...We discourage anyone who considers entering it themselves to try to save them from the disappointment and unhappiness we've experienced.But what if we're wrong about all of this?What if our coping mechanism and the conclusions we draw are all based on false information?I believe they are, and I explain it all in this episode. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Did you know that reacting and responding are actually two different things?Not only that, our emotional experience of any situation depends on which path we choose.When we react, we engage without deliberate choice. In doing so, it is easy to believe we are at the mercy of our circumstances and what is happening around us. When we respond, we engage with intention. This allows us to decide purposely what we want to believe, how we want to feel, and what we will do in response. When we respond we maintain our personal power.When we react we give our power away.In this episode I dive into the differences between reacting and responding, and share why it is so important for each of us to learn how to respond with intention. The quality of your life depends on developing this skill.Let's go!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Corporate veterinary practice is a common villain of choice for veterinary professionals... especially those who have had a bad experience working for a corporation.The commiseration around bad corporate experiences is wide-spread, often showing up as attacks on the organizations themselves, and the veterinary professionals who elect to work there.But why?Is corporate veterinary medicine a true threat to our profession, or is it just a fabricated "flavor of the day" foe we use to absolve ourselves from responsibility over our own wellbeing?Veterinary professionals have a long history of "us versus them" mentality. It shows up with our clients, among our colleagues, between private hospitals, and now includes corporate entities as well.But why?It's because we work in a high pressure career as a group of highly compassionate people, and when we recognized we are unhappy, stressed out and full of anxiety we look for something to blame simply because we have not been taught that the external circumstances are not responsible for our emotional experience of them.Our world teaches us from a very early age that experiencing negative emotion means something is going wrong so something must be fixed before we can feel better.Neuroscientifically speaking, that's not accurate or true. What's worse, staying in this perspective gives all of our power away. It eliminates the ability to choose differently for ourselves. It fosters hopelessness and despair. It provides no path to happiness or peace.What is true is that the practice of veterinary medicine is ever-evolving, as is the market of veterinary business and the personal needs and desires of veterinary professionals. What is also true is we always get to decide. We don't need someone or something to be wrong in order to make the right decisions for ourselves.In this episode I share about the Corporate Divide and explain why it more important than ever to create our individual emotional wellbeing and thrive in our lives and careers.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In Veterinary Medicine, our client interactions often end up in "us against them"... especially when the interaction is emotionally charged or perceived as negative or aggressive. Given the state of our world these days, it's not surprising.We are seeing this type of fear-based division everywhere.In our heightened states of emotional reaction, the consequences are often not intended.Negative interactions can escalate quickly, often ending with everyone feeling victimized.Where does the veterinary patient fit into this?When are egos take over, the veterinary patient never wins.As veterinary professionals, we also totally miss what we have in common with the client.It is this common ground that builds the foundation of veterinary medicine.It's why we do what we do.Turns out, we actually want the exact same things...Veterinary Professionals & Pet Owners both:...want to help the pet....want the pet to get better....don't want the pet to be scared or in pain....want treatment to be affordable....want to be a respected parter in the pet's care.When the ego gets involved, it is fear rather than concern and compassion, that drives the human interaction. Thankfully we get to choose which version of ourselves shows up in the moment.In this episode I share how the common ground is the path forward for veterinary professionals, pet owners, and most importantly, the animals.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

"It's not about you."That phrase rings true and is very helpful to remember when we are interacting with people or experiencing circumstances that are uncomfortable. It's a short reminder we can offer ourselves and others to fast-track calm and peace.However, what isn't talked about is the other side of the foundational concept.In this episode, I dig into the flip side... the side where it is actually about you, 100% of the time... and share how we can utilize the flip side to improve and expand our wellbeing no matter what or who is happening around us. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

When you take a bunch of smart people, enroll them in a professional program, and then tell them that their chosen career puts them at an increased risk for suicide... they believe you.It's a dangerous perspective to share, it offers no solutions, and it's not actually true.In this episode I share why the way we talk about historical data points and statistics actually perpetuates the experiences we're trying to eliminate.I also share how modern veterinary culture continues to add fuel to this fire, and what we can do individually to break this life-threatening cycle for ourselves and those around us in the process.Resources mentioned in this episode can be found at https://joyfuldvm.comMusic Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

The decisions we make exclusively from our emotional experience often do not create the results we ultimately want.We make decisions this way because we want to feel better.And when we make these decisions rashly. It’s simply evidenced that we want to feel better immediately.It works… for a while.When we change our circumstances we automatically experience different emotional feelings…… not because the new environment is better than the old, but only because our thoughts are different.In the new environment, we think about different things.Thoughts create Emotions.When it comes to our career, this decision-making approach does NOT move us closer to the career and vet life experience that we actually want.In this episode, I introduce an emotion-proof strategy for determining and evaluating current and future job opportunities… and share why we tend to leave bad-fit jobs in anger, rather than in brave pursuit of what we want next.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Thinking about quitting Vet Med?You aren’t alone.Thoughts of leaving this sh*twshow behind are pretty common for a lot of us.Ya, Really!But, why?Here’s where it gets interesting…Why are you thinking about leaving your job?Why are you thinking about ditching the profession altogether?My guess: the VMVs…Blame directed at the Vet Med Villains is the most common response to “Why” we leave Vet Med.Makes sense.Seems logical.Feels justified.We experience a lot of suffering at the hands of those villains…Entitled clientsCranky coworkersGreedy bossesTerrible schedulesInadequate payCrushing student loan balancesTOUGH LOVE: WRONG ANSWER!The VMVs are never the reason we change jobs or leave the profession.We flee because we want to get away from the way we feel in relation to the VMVs.It may seem like an insignificant difference, but it’s actually a critical differentiation!See, when our Why for leaving blames the VMVs, then we hand over our power and our personal well-being to them. We make them responsible for our experience, and life choices… but they never are.Changing jobs or leaving for these reasons has us running away…We are leaving to get away from how we feel as quickly as possible… We leave because we believe we will feel better anywhere else…(and we probably will, for a while). The problem with this is what comes NEXT: more of the same…When we leave to get away, we don’t intentionally choose where we are going… But, more on that topic next week.Right now, consider this…When all the dialogue and beliefs about why our job is so hard focus on blaming the VMVs… And when we make decisions about our own lives and careers as a result of what we believe about the VMVs and their influence… And when we draw conclusions about our own abilities and future potential from a mental space primarily occupied by thoughts about the VMVs…Then we really do live our lives at the mercy of the VMVs… which we will never control and never change.Living as a passenger in our own lives sucks.Want to learn more? Check out this episode!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

The veterinary environment can be rough.Mentally. Physically. Emotionally.We often blame the clients, and their behavior, for our experience.But, it doesn’t start there.It starts closer to home.Many of us experience work environments where gossiping and back-stabbing are the norm…… where “us against them” is common…… where nobody seems happy, and nobody feels safe.In these environments, we turn on each other.We become self-righteous.We judge harshly.We become control-freaks and perfectionists.We think these things are useful. (They aren’t).Evidence of this can be found within the walls of our organizations, and also in how we interact outside of those walls.> Every time we bash a neighboring clinic, it’s proof.> Every time we talk negatively about a referring colleague to a client, it’s proof.> Every time we believe there is an authority to fight against, it’s proof.So what are we actually trying to achieve with all of this anger?We are just trying to feel better.See, anger is familiar, and it feels more powerful than fear and uncertainty.Anger feels justified… and we justify it through blame.But what are we really angry about?It usually boils down to one simple concept:The way things are is different than the way we believe they should be… and if they were different, we’d be happy.We think we know best how things should be.We believe we don’t have any power to change how things are.We believe that the way things are is the cause of our current quality of life.When we believe we don’t have power over our own lives, we often feel afraid.That fear takes many forms….fear of patient outcomesfear of client reactionsfear of getting firedfear of not making enough moneyfear of paying off our debtfear of making mistakesfear of negative reviewsfear of board complaintsYou get the idea.Bottom Line: Fear feels terrible.Fear feels life-threatening.Anger feels much better.Anger has become the veterinary industry’s coping mechanism.Rather than tackle that which we are afraid of, we become angry.Anger brings a false sense of control and builds a community of sorts with others who share in our anger.We become a profession of very angry people. That anger bleeds into every crevice of our hospitals, and onto our profession as a whole.We think the solution is for other people to behave differently.We think the solution is for things to be different than they are.Friends, we’ll be waiting on that forever.Thankfully, that is not the solution.The solution is in learning just a few things…Fear is just an emotion, and its presence isn’t a problemAnger is always optional and gives away our powerThere are very few things we control in this job, and that’s okayWe can always choose to do our best in any situationWhat happens next is something we decide for ourselves, alwaysI’ve said before, Vet Med is simply the catalyst for Personal Growth.The time we spend cannibalizing each other in this profession is time we could be spending getting to know ourselves, and growing into the people we are meant to be.

How’s your mood?Think back over the last several days, weeks, or even months…How have you been feeling?These may seem like random questions, but the answers explain Everything about the progress you’ve been making (or not making) toward creating the life you want.Your mood is a direct reflection of your Net Emotional State.So, if you’re spending most of your waking hours stressed, angry, or unhappy then there is no reason to beat yourself up for not making progress toward your goals.It makes perfect scientific sense to me why you are stuck.But, do you know why?Curious? Check out Part 3 of this Vet Med Joy Stealers series.By the end, you’ll understand what’s really been going, and have greater awareness about what you can actually do about it. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

How are you choosing your clients?Are you intentionally cultivating the clientele you serve?Or, are you just accepting every potential client who seeks your services?Did you even realize you had a choice?You Do!What about your compensation…Are you paying yourself adequately as a practice owner?Do you understand how you can increase your compensation as an associate?Do you know how to move up in compensation as support staff?If your answer is no, then recognize that you are drawing conclusions in the absence of actual information.It’s time to have a conversation!How about your time?Believing you don’t have time to live your life the way you want?You’ll prove yourself true every. single. time. A scarcity mindset left unchecked has undesirable consequences in our veterinary careers and in our lives.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Vet Med is an interesting career.Often a Love / Hate relationship.Spectacularly rewarding, and crushingly devastating all at the same time.The events that occur in veterinary medicine are just part of the job.The way that we respond to the events, is optional.OPTIONAL.That’s really hard to see when a client is blasting us on social media, or a six-month-old puppy dies during a routine spay.Frustration, Fear, and Sadness are appropriate emotional responses… But then we take it too far…We make it personal.We tie up those events, and our resultant emotions, with our personal professional abilities and individual self-worth.Friends, those things are not connected.Unhappy clients and poor patient outcomes often steal our joy, but that an optional consequence.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Scenario: You’re asked a yes-or-no question.How do you respond?Yes, without hesitating?Awesome!No, without regret?Excellent! No, with remorse because you really want to say yes?Uh-oh… trouble ahead…Yes, with bitterness and anger because you really want to say no?Welcome to the People Pleasers Club… your future is at risk.Not Joking.How did yes-or-no questions get so complicated?!Fear.It all comes down to fear.Fear of disapproval.Fear of conflict.Fear of unknown consequences. Fear of judgment.Fear of saying No. If you’re saying Yes when you really mean No, then you’re probably People Pleasing.If you’re saying No, but justifying your answer with “I can’t…” or “I shouldn’t…” then you still aren’t owning your choice… So who’s getting hurt here?YOU ARE!People pleasing and justifying are self-defeating and disempowering actions.They also aren’t polite or kind because they are disingenuous in nature.These actions destroy self-confidence.These actions inhibit your ability to create the life you want and to become the person you are meant to be.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

How do you think your life should be?For that matter, how do you believe the world should be?We all have our opinions...... and when it comes to our own lives, the gap between what we believe it should be like and what it actually is, creates emotional turmoil.This is true in our vet med jobs, our relationships with others, and even our evaluations of ourselves.When we focus on what should be, we miss the opportunity in what is.Even when the reality isn't as we'd like it to be, embracing the truth creates power and opportunity... in veterinary medicine and in life. The land of "should be" creates shame, inaction, and hopelessness. It's binary.  Either / Or. It's limiting... forcing you to experience your life as the effect of external things.It's victimizing... it builds a false belief that you have no control.It kills self-confidence. So what else? How about AND..."And" opens up opportunity."And" focuses on what's possible."And" creates compassion and hope.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

You know what they say about assumptions...It holds true in Vet Med as well.There is a collection of broad-sweeping beliefs that many of us have about our lives as veterinary professionals.The most influential beliefs are about the impact of our career choice on our time and income potential. Through the normal course of our veterinary careers, we've absorbed these beliefs from those who have gone before us. The perspectives are common.We've accepted, without question, these conclusions as truth.Absolute truth.Together they become the lens through which we see our lives and what is possible... ... and what is impossible...In this episode, I peel apart the assumptions, examine how these assumptions have led us to draw conclusions that hold us back, and share how you can put your own mind to work to find the solutions that will result in fulfilling Vet Med's life and career.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

The quality of veterinary clinic culture is directly related to the gap between expectation and reality.The 5 components of culture in veterinary organizations include:LeverageSchedulePayPoliciesLeadershipAt the time of employment and onboarding, expectations in all of these areas are created. What we experience, then, either aligns with expectations or does not. When it doesn't, a gap between expectation and reality is created, trust is eroded, and culture suffers. A suffering culture is displayed in the actions and interactions of employees and leaders. It is these behaviors and the way we feel as we witness these behaviors, that creates the toxicity we often reference. In the thick of it, we totally miss that there is ALWAYS one person we can trust in every single situation...  one person who has our back no matter what... the only person who can alter the misery we are experiencing... that person is you.The quality of clinic culture is directly related to the gap between expectation and reality. The personal impact of clinic culture is created only by our thoughts about it. Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Have you ever been talking to a client and you see them zone out so you switch gears to try to deliver your message a different way, all the while watching for any signs of comprehension or consent?Or have you been delivering unexpected news and find yourself in an explanation loop... rationalizing, justifying, convincing... all while that little voice in your head screams, "Just Stop Talking!".It's all pretty common. There are four main reasons we talk to veterinary clients:ConversationalGathering informationEducatingUpdatingThese four reasons also have four levels of potential risk of personal emotional impact and confrontation.In this episode I break them all down, with examples, and share how adjusting your focus will make both you and the client feel better... not Vet Med word vomit required.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

It’s no surprise we try to measure our success in Vet Med. We are constantly looking for indications that we are doing it right, or doing it wrong. Unfortunately, success in Vet Med can’t be measured by tangible things.So, in the absence of tangible measures of success, we create our own:Clients who are happy and patients who get better mean we’re doing it right.Clients who are angry, and patients who don’t respond to treatment mean we’re doing it wrong.But, it doesn’t work that way.In this episode, I take at the harmful way we measure our success in VetMed, why we do it, how misplaced responsibility contributes to the problem, and the one true measure of success that provides accurate feedback every time.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

What’s the hardest part of veterinary medicine? Most of us wouldn’t identify getting bitten, being pooped on, learning to take well-positioned radiographs, or figuring out how to draw blood on fractious cats as the hard parts of our jobs.The hard part is feeling stressed out all the time, and we believe that stress comes from things like cranky clients, conversations about money and euthanasia.The good news is that it doesn’t. We can develop Emotional Resilience and it all starts with understanding the true definitions of “Feel” and using the word appropriate… something most of us are doing wrong.Developing Emotional Resilience in Veterinary Medicine Requires:Identifying the real emotion we are feelingIdentifying the real cause of the emotionLetting go of responsibility for the emotions of othersThe quickest way to increase your self-confidence is by developing your emotional resilience.Subscribe to The Joyful DVM Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or TuneIn to stream this episode through your smartphone or tablet.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I take a look at the UP SIDE of Imposter Syndrome in VetMed. Imposter Syndrome is really a state of believing that you’re a fraud and that your accomplishments were more likely accidental than the intentional result of your performance.  I dig deep into the phenomenon, and share why it’s both very common, and very normal, in the veterinary profession.Topics include:What Imposter Syndrome isWhy Imposter Syndrome occursWhen Imposter Syndrome started for most of usWhy VetMed provides abundant opportunities for Imposter Syndrome to grow The UPSIDE of Imposter Syndrome that occurs once you understand what’s really happeningI also share my thoughts on Self Confidence, Negative Self Talk & Self Belief, describe how emotions are created, explain the concept of Emotional Normalcy, and describe emotion’s physiologic impact. Subscribe to The Joyful DVM Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or TuneIn to stream this episode through your smartphone or tablet.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

When we try to do everything perfectly, or perfectly planned, we waste a ton of time.What we are really doing is attempting to avoid discomfort and fear. Meanwhile, during the process, we're experiencing discomfort anyway.In this episode I share my journey through decisions, and execution of those decisions, regarding Joyful DVM and The Joyful DVM Podcast.From the early days where fear kept retreating over and over, to very recently when I found myself hiding once again... I share it all.The physical mind has an amazing ability to protect us at all costs... Only through remaining curious so we can recognize our own patterns can we continue to gain clarity and speed in our journeys forward.Perfection has no place in this journey.Let it be messy and you'll find the journey is much easier, and more fun, than you could have ever expected.Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

We view our lives and the world through a perspective we didn't intentionally choose for ourselves.We naturally adopt the belief systems shared by those in our lives who hold influence... parents, family, friends, clergy, teachers, etc. We then naturally compare ourselves and evaluate our lives through that perspective. This leads us to draw conclusions about how we need to be different, or learn more, before we can experience the greatest things life has to offer.But what if we're wrong?What if life isn't actually a journey to become someone different than you are... but, rather, an opportunity to remember who you've always been?What if that perspective you've adopted is just hiding the truth of your nature?I believe it is. In this episode I share why. If you love topics like these, check out my new Free Mini-Course: Spiritual Seeker 101. I'll deliver this on-demand video right to your inbox as soon as it's released. Join the waitlist at cariwise.com/SS101CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

Are you spiritually curious but hesitant when it comes to traditional religion? Or maybe you're very grounded in your traditional religious practices, but wondering about the stuff that never gets covered... I can totally relate.It's a strange situation to navigate. So many rules.Such high stakes.Overwhelming. Scary. It's the perfect reminder of how our physical, human minds prefer the familiar, to the unknown.It's also the most important reason why we must gather information anyway.There comes a point in our lives that we are drawn to a greater understanding of our own existence.Have you felt it?For most it happens once we've achieved those initial goals we've set... usually early adulthood when we've settled into a job and are a few years into our lives "in the real world".It starts as discontent (is this all there is?).It continues as curiosity.And that's the point that, for many of us, it turns to fear.(We are conditioned to be afraid of what we don't understand.)When we give into the fear, and stagnate in our lives, the discontent doesn't fade away... it compounds.For many of us, we turn this awareness of unhappiness on ourselves.(I must be broken... why can't I just be happy with what I have?)The reason... you aren't meant to sit still! You'll never reach the "end" of your development as a human or satisfy your curiosity about life...There is always more to learn.The tricky part, in my experience, is finding a safe place to do it.Well, my friend, I have you covered there! Check out this episode to learn all about my new mini-course: Spiritual Seeker 101.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Featured: Spiritual Seeker 101 https://cariwise.com/SS101Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

What might you be missing?The world around us is designed to keep us very busy.When we are busy, we live in a constant state of distraction... losing focus on what is right in front of us.This lack of presence in our daily lives not only robs us of the opportunity to fully experience our lives as intended, it also blocks out guidance and messages created to help us day-to-day.In this episode I share a story about my cat, Pixie, the flower she brought me, and the ah-ha moment that followed. I also leave you with a little challenge to consider in the week ahead.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

Do you view others through the lens of judgment or evaluation?There is a significant difference.Evaluation keeps us as a neutral party.It allows us to find opportunities for improvement without making it personal.It lets us be curious, and drops the need to force change.Judgment makes us a victim... and interacting through a victim mentality will never improve any situation.In the workplace, there is no room for judgement.In this episode I share how interacting with others through a lens of judgement is creating the exact opposite of what we desire, and what we can do instead to facilitate change.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

How often do you pay attention to what's right in front of you?For most of us, when we are in our comfort zone, we tune out.We stop noticing things in our environment... even when things change.We stay nestled in the safety of the familiar, numbing our senses with activities that don't actually enhance our lives.We miss what's right in front of us.A new bird species recently appeared near my home.If I hadn't been paying attention, I probably would have missed it.If I wasn't practicing being present in the moment, I never would have noticed a new bird.But I did.It brought me a great lesson. I share that lesson in this episode.So, I'm wondering, what are you missing simply because you aren't paying attention?What's slipping by you simply because the world has taught you to stop looking?What are you sacrificing to stay within your comfort zone?The price is probably bigger than you realize... and probably something you wouldn't intentionally choose if you were more aware. CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

Do New Years Resolutions really help you make progress toward your goals? I don't think so. I believe they actually create the totally opposite effect by piling on pressure, judgement, shame and guilt. It's not wonder they don't last for most people!In this episode I share what's actually happening and an alternative approach that will keep you starting any new journey, any time, and continuing your progress long after most New Years Resolutions have been left behind.Resources: Aligned Living Bootcampcariwise.com/bootcampCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

Bad days don't just happen to us. We are involved in their creation whether we know it or not. A string of bad days has a real impact on our wellbeing... and our future. "Getting through" the hard stuff is a great skill, but not if it becomes your normal operating system.When survival mode is your only mode, your future is sacrificed.We must consider this when we recognize our own discontent. If what you are experiencing in your life or career right now is NOT what you want long term, then you must consider what's been creating it. As you gain awareness around the influences, you become aware of the opportunities. Truth is, YOU are the only one who holds the keys. YOU have the power to create something different. YOU are not meant to just survive.Thriving is your birthright! It's why you are here. It's what the rest of the universe needs you to do!If you're not sure where to start, check out my resources below:Free Masterclass: Finding Life-Purpose in Times of Chaos. https://cariwise.com/masterclassAligned Living Bootcamphttps://cariwise.com/bootcampCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

When we experience loss; whether it be a loved one, a pet, a relationship, a job, or anything else, grief follows. If we allow the grief to consume us, we don't move forward.If we don't move forward, we disengage from our lives and we lose connection with ourselves.The same thing can happen when we stay excessively busy...... when we use Action to cope with (cover up, avoid) the emotions we experience...We exist, but we don't thrive.We exist, but we don't grow.In this episode I revisit the loss of my cat Willow, and share how I shifted myself out of the grief vortex that threatened to consume me following her passing. I also share the beautiful growth that has occurred in my life since that day and the awareness that prompted me to create a brand new masterclass and share it with you.Masterclass: Finding Life-Purpose in Times of ChaosVisit https://cariwise.com/masterclass to save your seat.CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from PixabayFinding Life Purpose In Times Of Chaos- Free Event!The 3 keys to unlocking your dreams for the future, even if you're overwhelmed, worn out, or feel trapped by the life you're in.https://cariwise.com/webinar

When we live a life of alignment, we are not required to sacrifice our morals, ethics and values. When we life a life of alignment, we do not function through a constant lens of fear.Living this way requires courage... but the benefits far outweigh any discomfort we experience as we're getting started.  In this episode I share more about living in Alignment, and why it's so important to do so. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEFree Event: Finding Life-Purpose In Times Of ChaosThe 3 keys to unlocking your dreams for the future, even if you'reoverwhelmed, worn out, or feel trapped by the life you're in.https://cariwise.com/webinarhttps://joyfuldvm.com/webinarAligned Life Academy:  https://cariwise.com/ALACONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music by: lemonmusicstudio from Pixabay

When we recognized feelings of dissatisfaction or resentment, find ourselves questioning the state of our lives, or we feel overwhelmed and lost, there is something happening within us that we often do not see.These seasons of our lives, which we often describe in terms of the challenges we face, have a two-fold purpose.First, they are the experiences we will look back on one-day as pivotal moments in our lives and necessary stepping-stones along our journey. Eventually, one day, it all makes sense. As we get older, we begin to see how these seasons were woven together for our good.But, there is a second purpose, one available at the time of the challenges themselves, that we miss.We miss this purpose because we simply don't know to look for it.The purpose: Intentional Growth Opportunity.It shows up in four different ways, or as four different Growth Indicators:DissatisfactionFeeling LostQuestioningResentmentWhen we learn to identify these Growth Indicators when they appear as components of our experiences, we unlock the opportunities being created by the challenges themselves.In doing this we no longer remain stuck. Instead, we return to active participation in what comes next.I described this phenomena, and how you can apply it in your own life, in detail in this episode.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/webinar  CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I had one goal... to create a list of the most important perspectives to keep in mind as you navigate your career as a veterinary professional.Truth is, these perspectives are also helpful in your entire life.See, our experiences often cloud our perception of reality... and not in a good way.It's easy to get caught up in negativity and drama. In Vet Med, the opportunities are amplified.Amplified... but not inevitable. It's through Intentional Perspective that we create a different experience for ourselves.In this episode I'm taking the guess-work out of it by giving you a list of perspectives that will serve you well in your career and beyond.I suspect if you'd listen to this episode every day for 2 weeks, you'll find your overall sense of wellbeing, and your outlook on life and the future will be improved. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Having a great day in vet med does not require smooth sailing.It doesn't require clients to be nice, or coworkers to be productive. It doesn't even require you to get your lunch, or leave on time. What keeps most of us from experiencing a great day is the focus we keep giving to the circumstances that are less than ideal...Entitled clientsManagers who don't careLunches missedAnd then we compound the negative impact by believing those things must change before having a great day is possible.The truth is, focusing on the negative creates very real, and detrimental, results:It erodes relationshipsIt destroys our emotional wellbeingIt blocks possibility and potentialThankfully, the solution is completely within your control... allowing you to flip a pattern of bad days into a new habit of great ones all on your own.In this episode, I explain exactly how to do it, and why you must begin if you want to create a higher quality life experience for yourself. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Are you ready to change your life? Your instinct is to answer yes... but you may be lying to yourself.Your actions and beliefs probably tell a different story.There are three questions that will help you determine if you are really ready to experience your life in a different way.In today's episode I explore those three questions, and share the one think you MUST do, if you are ever going to create a different reality for yourself. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

How are you talking about the dreams you have for yourself and your future?Do they live in phrases such as "Some day I will....""I wish I could...""When I ..., then I will..."Are you waiting on permission to move forward?Are you judging yourself when you recognize discontent?Many of us believe if we elect to pursue something different in our lives today, that it somehow discounts the value of what we pursued and created before this point... that in some way it makes that prior pursuit a waste of time, waste of money, or a mistake.I assure you, it is none of those things!You are a living being... ever growing and evolving.Your physiology is proof of how important it is to keep changing, growing, renewing!In this episode I explore the importance of giving yourself permission to pursue big shifts in your life and invite you to join us in workshop where we will strategically analyze our current life and career experience against the dreams we have so we can identify the gap and exactly what we need to do tactically and energetically to move forward.To learn more visit: https://joyfuldvm.com/lifejobworkshopRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Strategic Life & Job Analysis Workshop https://joyfuldvm.com/workshopVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

What are you spinning about? Where does your mind land when you're not busy with work or other life activities? What happens in the silence? Most of us have a group of worries and scenarios that play constantly in the background. When we have down time, they become front and center... and so we engage with them. But is it USEFUL? The answer- NO. Never. That auto-pilot stack of anxiety-inducing thought patterns does not serve you, the person you want to be, or the future you want to create. It's also optional. See, it's just a habit. One that was formed unintentionally over time. It's formation was so subtle that you may not even realize you aren't required to give it your attention, let alone know that you can banish these useless thought habits once and for all. To ever create a life and career of joy and fulfillment, this is work you must do.There's no fast way around it, but you can do it! We can start together in the Strategic Life and Job Analysis Workshop... 4 hours where you'll define what you want, and discover what's been keeping you from having it all along. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Strategic Life & Job Analysis Workshop https://joyfuldvm.com/workshopVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Do you know that you can predict your future? You've been doing it, even if you haven't been aware. This is actually good news, because when you learn how it works, you can begin leveraging your ability to create what you want.There are three things that block your ability to maximize your future-creating superpower. In this episode I share what those blockers are, and what you can do to move beyond them so you can take control of your life. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Strategic Life & Job Analysis Workshop https://joyfuldvm.com/workshopVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I explore Negativity in Veterinary Medicine, and share three components required to eliminate it from our organizations and our personal experiences, once and for all. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Strategic Life & Job Analysis Workshop https://joyfuldvm.com/workshopVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Imposter Syndrome is a common topic in our profession... one that is creating disastrous consequences in our lives. In today's episode, I share once again about imposter syndrome and explore Five Key Points:Imposter Syndrome definedThe reason for the labelThe little known truth about this "diagnosis"The compounding negative consequences of the Imposter Syndrome identity Imposter Syndrome's relationship with the normal human experienceBottom Line... the labels we apply to ourselves create limitations in our lives. Breaking free from those limitations first requires releasing the labels themselves.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I share the Key To Freedom, and explain how most of us are going about it all wrong... and creating unnecessary suffering for ourselves in the process.Many of us dream of experiencing more freedom in our lives and we work really hard to create or obtain the variables we believe make freedom possible.The truth is, we're going about it all wrong.Freedom isn't something we achieve through action. It's not dependent on the perfect work schedule, the absence of work, the presence of large sums of money in the bank or a healthy retirement account.It's not contingent on the people we work with, the family obligations we're under, or even our personal health.So if you're working really hard to create freedom, and believing it's never going to be enough... you'll never be free... well, you're right. But don't despair! The path to creating freedom for yourself is much easier than the path you've been on. In this episode I explain why, and how to move forward the right way for yourself. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Reboot Coursehttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyStrategic Life and Job Analysis Workshophttps://joyfuldvm.com/workshop CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

If you're having a hard time experiencing anything other than stress and anxiety in your life and Vet Med career, this episode is for you! Inside I describe why so many veterinary professionals go from confidently pursuing their calling to regretting their career choice once they get out into the real world. I also share what you can do to re-anchor in the truth of your own vet med journey so you can get back to enjoying life from a state of unshakeable peace.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyStrategic Life and Job Analysis Workshop https://joyfuldvm.com/workshop Self Exploration Activity https://joyfuldvm.com/PEACE CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Veterinary Professionals are NOT mentally unstable. This profession does not attract, or create, the crazies! Entertaining either of those beliefs is not useful... and has the potential of turning into it's own self-feeding vortex.No Thanks! In this episode I dig into the factors that contribute to the wellbeing challenges we experience:Compassion-Driven personalitiesPersonal InsecuritiesAcademic Culture of BullyingI also explore why we are MORE POWERFUL than all of that combined!RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/align CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

We are taught that if something feels bad, then we shouldn't pursue it. Although that may make sense in some circumstances, most of the time it holds us back from taking the actions we need to take to stay in alignment with ourselves, and move toward our goals and dreams.In this episode I explained why Right decisions sometimes feel sooooo terrible, and shared a recent experience that helped me untangle this dichotomy in a tangible way. I also shared why it is essential that we follow through with our "right decisions" even when it feels terrible is exactly what you need to grow your self confidence and move toward your dreams.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

By nature, veterinary professionals tend to be very compassionate… at least outwardly so.We also tend to be very judgmental when it comes to ourselves.Despite what we may believe, this self-criticism is not self-contained.In this episode I explore how the lack of compassion we have for ourselves is impacting the compassion we are able to extend to others and share four indicators that help us see where we have opportunity to create more acceptance for ourselves.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

We are greatly influenced in veterinary medicine, and in life, by the people we spend time with. Whether physically, or virtually, the impact is real.In this episode I explore the negative impact we experience in our lives and careers from  mentors we don't choose for ourselves. I also walk through a process for evaluating the impact of the influencers in your own life.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Influence Finder Worksheet https://joyfuldvm.com/85-resourceVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

It's not uncommon for veterinary professionals to realize years into their careers that something is missing in their lives. The veterinary career has become all consuming in regard to focus, time and energy, resulting in a life that is tethered and disengaged. This lack of progress in our lives is fueled by two different things that keep us stuck... and they're sneaky. One is a commonly practiced behavior, the other is a pattern often awarded. Neither, however, are useful in helping us continue on our life journey. In this episode I discuss the two sneaky patterns that keep us stuck, and what we can do about it. RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Free Webinar: How to Stop Sacrificing Your Mental Health & Wellbeing for your Veterinary Career, The 3-Part Strategy for Decreasing Anxiety and Making Work-Life Balance Possiblehttps://joyfuldvm.com/webinarJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyvetallianceVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Empowered Perspective: Daily chaos keeps us disconnected and robs us from experiencing the evidence of unwavering support and limited possibility that is all around us. When we intentionally reconnect with the truth of the moment, and stay curious about all that is around us, it becomes much easier to slide through the chaos and come out anchored and peaceful on the other side. In this episode I share several recent experiences that snapped me out of stress and into the present moment and truth of the support I could not see.  RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Joy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyvetallianceVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Living on autopilot is a survival mechanism for veterinary professionals. Today I'm sharing how you can determine if you're in autopilot survival mode, what you unintentionally create for yourself by staying there, and one thing you can begin doing today to become more active in your own life.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/joyvetallianceAlternative Career Guide 2022 Editionhttps://joyfuldvm.com/jobguideCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Empowered Perspective: What you can achieve is only limited by what you believe about yourself. Your credentials and prior experiences make up only a tiny fraction of the success equation.  RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipAlternative Career Guide 2022 Editionhttps://joyfuldvm.com/jobguideCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are often asked by others about how to go about pursuing veterinary careers. Many times, veterinary professionals discourage others from the career path.Although it may seem like simply giving advice, discouraging others from pursuing a career in veterinary medicine actually represents much more than just an opinion for the person giving it. In this episode I explore the most common reasons cited for discouraging veterinary careers, and how it is those reasons that limits what's possible for those who believe them.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipAlternative Career Guide 2022 Editionhttps://joyfuldvm.com/jobguideCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Empowered Perspective: The certainty you hold onto in times of darkness make all the difference as you wait for the light to reappear.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipAlternative Career Guide 2022 Editionhttps://joyfuldvm.com/jobguideCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Gathering information from experts... good move. Believing that experts know what's best for you, or believing them without question when their opinion limits what's possible for you.. not so much. Today I'm sharing why we must question everything, and how blindly following any leader can lead you down a path you never intended to go.FEATURED ON THE SHOWExploring the value of expert opinionsThe relationship between expert opinion and absolute truthIntuition versus fearThe "right answer" myth RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Joy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

Feeling Angry, Disrespected, or Unappreciated?Today I’m sharing a tip on how to manage these difficult emotional cascades in the moment, and also the opportunity you have to adjust your habit responses to improve your overall experiences long term.FEATURED ON THE SHOWThe impact of AngerThe real cause of the emotional downward spiralWhat you can do in the moment to refocus, and what happens if you don’tRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Life Analysis Workshophttps://joyfuldvm.com/workshopJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode I dive right into the opportunities that challenge and change bring each of us in veterinary medicine, and in the world. It’s go time… we can no longer just wait for our jobs and our lives to improve. We must be active participants in the creation of something different. You were made for this. Let’s go!FEATURED ON THE SHOWNavigating ChangePersonal Sacrifice is not the answerHow you are perfectly equipped to create the life and career you want, even now.Imposter SyndromeBurn outRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODEStrategic Life Analysis Workshophttps://joyfuldvm.com/workshopJoy Vet Alliancehttps://joyfuldvm.com/membershipCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode, I dive into a common thing that happens once we've been in practice for a while... the identification of what we Don't Want. I explore how this clarity often results in a downward spiral of emotion, what's really going on, and what you can do about it.Featured:Who Are You?The 2 things that influence the development of opinions.Three common conclusions we draw when we are unhappy in our lives.Personality AssessmentResources: Determine Your Personal Human Design >>> https://joyfuldvm.com/humandesignConnect With Me:Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode, I explain how many veterinary professionals have unintentionally slid into a Passive Life Experience. I describe the 3 things that occur when we are in Passive Mode, and the 3 Factors we can incorporate to recreate an Active Life Experience for ourselves.Featured:Passive vs. Active Life and Career Experience3 Consequences of a Passive Life3 Factors that move us from Passive to Active participation in our livesResources: Joy Vet Alliance Join here >>> https://joyfuldvm.com/joyvetallianceConnect With Me:Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me! 

In this episode, I share about the recent loss of my heart cat, Willow. I share about what happened, the extreme grief I experienced, how I moved through that grief, and what I learned in the process that can help all veterinary professionals and pet owners who have experienced losses of their own. Featured: Pet LossThe Grief ProcessLessons LearnedResources:https://joyfuldvm.com/petloss

In this episode, I explore the emotion of anger and discuss why holding onto anger in veterinary medicine feels very powerful and accepted. Featured: Lower Brain / Higher Brain generation of angerNegative / Positive emotionAnger as a coping mechanismResources:Joy Vet Alliance: https://joyfuldvm.com/membership

In this episode, I share insights into why there can be no reward without risk and why you should do the thing that scares you the most.RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:Vet Life Academy https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyThank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode, I discuss 5 Widely Accepted beliefs about Veterinary Medicine and how these beliefs block our potential both individually, and as a profession as a whole.FEATURED ON THE SHOWImposter SyndromeCompassion FatigueWorkplace ToxicityEducation DebtVeterinary Suicide RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:Free Masterclass: How to Create Infinite Possibility in Your Life & Career as a Veterinarian or Veterinary Technician. Join here >>> https://joyfuldvm.com/masterclassThank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me! 

In this episode, I share common expectations veterinary professionals have for their clients, and how the focus we give to client failure holds us back, makes our jobs harder than they need to be, and fosters resentment on both sides of the client relationship.FEATURED ON THE SHOWSeven examples of how veterinary professionals judge clientsHow judgment makes it impossible to behave with intentionThe go-to alternative perspective about veterinary medicine that will always serve you betterRESOURCES:Vet Life Academy https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode, I share four tips for triumphing over veterinary workplace toxicity. Tips 1 & 2 allow you to change your veterinary experience immediately. Tips 3 & 4 show you how to contribute to resolving toxicity long term.FEATURED ON THE SHOW:The 5 Components of Veterinary Organizational CultureManaging Emotion Moment by Moment4 Things You Can Do to Triumph over ToxicityRESOURCES:Episode 7: The Impact of Toxic Veterinary Work Environment https://joyfuldvm.com/7Episode 43: What You Must Do Before You Quit https://joyfuldvm.com/43Episode 45: Vet Med Dealbreakers: 3 Times It's Best To Move On https://joyfuldvm.com/45CONNECT WITH ME:Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode I share about the categories of Vet Med Stress and explain how trying to control facets of the veterinary care cycle outside of our control contributes to frustration, anxiety and burnout.FEATURED ON THE SHOWCategories of Vet Med StressVeterinary Care CycleResponsibilities of veterinary professionals, clients and patientsWhat falls outside the scope of responsibility of veterinary professionalsVet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I explain where all veterinary frustration originates, and explain how it's nearly impossible to be consumed with frustration when we focus on our duties as veterinary healthcare providers.FEATURED ON THE SHOWThe origin of frustration in veterinary medicineNet Emotional StateWhy all veterinary hospitals exist3 positive by-products of FocusThe ripple effect created by one focused veterinary team memberRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:Vet Life Academyhttps://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

The culture in veterinary medicine as a whole is in great need of improvement. The dialogue around this often includes blame and abdication of responsibility for this culture to people and organizations other than ourselves. We are the victims. But are we? In this episode I explore how we have unintentionally created a culture of resentment and fear that is compounded with each new generation. I also share what we can do about it, and why it won't require massive career-level changes to start moving in the right direction. FEATURED ON THE SHOWThe true impact of warning our young colleagues about the challenges of this profession How personal opinion develops into professional cultureOpportunities to change individual experiences and disrupt the culture of cannibalismRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:The Happiness Rapid Reset Challenge with Joyful DVMhttps://joyfuldvm.comCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!Music Credit: Music by Lesfm from Pixabay

In this episode I share about the compounding effect of stress and the opportunities for self discovery and emotional wellbeing we can discover when we are curious about our stressful experiences. I also share tips on managing stress as veterinary professionals and explore the intimate relationship between feeling stress and experiencing fear.FEATURED ON THE SHOWHow stress compounds in veterinary medicine, and the effect it has on wellbeing.What veterinarians and veterinary technicians fear most in veterinary practice.Opportunities to relieve stress reactions by using two strategiesRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:The Happiness Rapid Reset Challenge with Joyful DVMhttps://joyfuldvm.comCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

In this episode I chat with Dr. Cindy Trice from Relief Rover. We cover it all... from the increase in demand for relief veterinarians and relief veterinary technicians / veterinary nurses and what happened to this veterinary niche at the peak of the pandemic; the characteristics of veterinary professionals that make them best suited to be veterinary independent contractors, and how to get started with this exciting and flexible career path. FEATURED ON THE SHOWHow long you should practice before coming a Relief VetWhether or not advanced training is needed to be a Relief Vet or Relief TechThe importance of being flexibleHow the pandemic influenced demand for relief help initially, and what it looks like nowRelief Rover: What it is and why you should join (for free!) as a veterinarian or veterinary technicianRESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE:Relief Rover Website: https://reliefrover.comRelief Vet Information: https://reliefrover.com/relief-veterinarians/relief-vet-101/Relief Rover Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/reliefroverRelief Rover Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reliefrover/Relief Rover Twitter: https://twitter.com/reliefroverRelief Rover LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reliefroverRelief Rover Feature in The Joyful DVM Membership: https://joyfuldvm.com/membershipCONNECT WITH MEInstagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me!

Opinions in veterinary medicine are strong. In this episode I explore where our opinions regarding our veterinary careers come from, and how unknowingly adopting the opinions of our colleagues is having a huge impact on the state of wellbeing for veterinarians, veterinary technicians and entire veterinary teams.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:The Joyful DVM Podcast experienced an unplanned hiatus in the summer of 2021. In this episode, host Dr. Cari Wise shared exactly what happened that halted production, and valuable lessons she learned about slowing down, and letting go, along the way.Resources:Get the support you need from Joyful DVM (www.joyfuldvm.com) to increase your joy, wellbeing, and balance so you can enjoy your life and your Vet Med career. Connect with me!Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me! 

Every action we take has a consequence. Some of them are positive. Others are negative. But, do you realize that your mind is conditioned to seek out the negative consequences? Are you aware that creating intentional consequences is the key to getting the clients you want and doing the practice you dream of in your Vet Med career?In this episode, I tell a little story about the birds in my backyard and how it relates to what we all experience every day as veterinarians. I explain why avoiding negative consequences is the wrong approach to achieving what we want, and how this results in a client base for veterinarians that is less-than-ideal.Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:Understand how avoiding negative consequences in veterinary practice impacts veterinarians, veterinary staff, and clients.Learn what you miss out on when you fail to focus your efforts with positive intention.Find out why trying to serve every type of veterinary client leaves you exhausted and not serving any very well, and what you can do about it.“Consequences don't have to always be negative.”Check out these episode highlights:03.07 - The presence of the Red-winged Blackbirds in my backyard is a story that is similar to what you are experiencing in your Vet Med career. 05.23 - What you should do so that you can cultivate more of what you want, creating intentional consequences in alignment with your goals. 08.59 - How to create an environment that attracts your ideal clients for your veterinary practice.11.20 - Questions to ask yourself so that you can create intentional consequences and get the results you want.13.15 - Developing the right mindset to become the best version of yourself.15.10 -  One thing you must avoid if you want to be the right fit for your ideal clients.Key Takeaways:If you focus on what you enjoy, what you're passionate about, and what's important to you, you'll get clients who share the same values as you.Veterinary medicine isn't a roadblock if you look at it through the lens of what works for you.You will never be the right practice for anyone if you keep trying to become the right practice for everyone.Resource:Get the support you need from Joyful DVM (www.joyfuldvm.com) to increase your joy, wellbeing, and balance so you can enjoy your life and your Vet Med career. Listen to what the Bluebirds, birdhouses, and what is holding you back have to say. (https://podcast.joyfuldvm.com/episode-11-whats-really-holding-you-back)More about the Bluebirds and the four gifts you receive from persevering in Vet Med.(https://podcast.joyfuldvm.com/episode-22-the-unexpected-gifts-vet-med-perseverance-makes-possible)Connect with me!Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyfuldvmFacebook: www.facebook.com/JoyfulDVM/Website: www.joyfuldvm.com/Thank you so much for listening! If this episode supported you in any way, the best way you can pay forward is by taking a screenshot of this episode and sharing it on social media or with your team, and tag me! 

Client interactions are one of the greatest stressors in veterinary medicine. Unpleasant encounters stay with us, often looping in our minds for hours or even days…The most disrespectful and aggressive clients are often repeated offenders.When we see them on the schedule, our hearts sink, and dread sets in.The impact of these clients on our mood and confidence is real.Some say it’s “just part of the job”.I disagree...It’s this exact mentality that keeps us accepting this behavior….It’s this mentality that keeps us trying to do things better on our end in order to change what they do on theirs…It doesn’t work, and the impact on the mental health and personal wellbeing of veterinary professionals is tragic.In this episode, I share my solution for changing sh*tty client behavior.It starts with us. Ready to take back your life beyond Vet Med?Join us in my free workshop: RECAPTURE -  https://joyfuldvm.com/recapture(Because Vet Med was never supposed to take over your life!)

Vet Med can’t make you happy.It can’t make you unhappy either.It does, however, enhance your awareness of your personal level of happiness.Success and failure in veterinary medicine are intangible concepts.They can’t be measured.They are elusive and unattainable.Yet, our personal belief in our own success or failure in veterinary jobs contributes greatly to our overall wellbeing.Our beliefs squash our happiness, kill our confidence, and put into question our individual self-worth…Vet Med was never supposed to be this powerful… and it really isn’t when we understand what’s really going on.In this episode, I explain it all.Resource:FREE WORKSHOP - Recapture: Life Beyond Vet Med >>> https://joyfuldvm.com/recapture(Because Vet Med was never supposed to take over your life)https://joyfuldvm.com/recapture

Veterinary Career Alignment Score MCMF.Misaligned Choice, Misaligned Fit.Most veterinary professionals who take the Vet Med Career Alignment Scores Quiz anticipate receiving a score of MCMF Alignment because they are burned out, frustrated or unhappy. Turns out, this is the least common score received on the Vet Med Career Alignment Score quiz!An individual with MCMF alignment chose to pursue a career in veterinary medicine for reasons other than a deep desire and calling to this work, and the type of work they are doing currently is not a good fit.This leads those with MCMF alignment to not only question their prior decision but to judge themselves harshly for it and to believe they have compromised what's possible for them in the future as a result.The good news... this isn't true at all!In this episode, I explore the MCMF alignment experience, including the types of opportunities available to this unique population.To determine your Vet Med Career Alignment Score visit https://joyfuldvm.com/quiz

Veterinary Career Alignment Score ACMF.Aligned Choice, Misaligned Fit.ACMF Alignment is the most common score on the Vet Med Career Alignment Score quiz.An individual with ACMF alignment made an intentional, focused choice to pursue a career in veterinary medicine but the type of work they are doing currently is not a good fit. Their awareness of the bad fit, especially if they have experienced multiple bad fit jobs, can lead ACMF aligned people to believe they made a wrong choice pursuing a veterinary career. For this reason, the AC part of this score can feel very confusing.In this episode, I explore the ACMF alignment experience, including the types of opportunities available to this unique population.To determine your Vet Med Career Alignment Score visit: https://joyfuldvm.com/quiz

Veterinary Career Alignment Score ACAF.Aligned Choice,  Aligned Fit.An individual with ACAF alignment made an intentional, focused choice to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. The type of work they currently do is also a good fit.But...They are likely restless. ACAF Aligned people are often surprised by their results because they often take the Career Alignment Score assessment because they feel like something is missing in their lives.What they are recognizing is the desire for something more than what they currently have...The need for a new challenge or goal...Dissatisfaction with the status quo...This is all intentional!In this episode, I explore the ACAF alignment experience, including the types of opportunities available to this unique population.To determine your Vet Med Career Alignment Score visit, https://joyfuldvm.com/quiz

Veterinarians, Veterinary Technicians, and all members of the veterinary healthcare team often grapple with the question "Am I cut out for a career in Vet Med" at some point in their careers.The complex experience of being a veterinary professional, along with the negative emotional impact that often accompanies it, has many concluding they are not personally equipped for what this job requires.However, the question does not have a binary, all-or-nothing, answer.The job and the career are different things.The job is the way in which a veterinary professional is utilizing their skills and knowledge in exchange for money at a given point in time.There are many different veterinary-related jobs.When a veterinary professional finds themselves in a bad-fit job, it doesn't mean they have also picked a bad-fit career. Unfortunately, because bad-fit jobs tend to be a pretty common occurrence in the veterinary profession, a growing number of veterinary professionals are concluding they have chosen the wrong careers.The impact of believing you've made a wrong career choice should not be disregarded.Choosing a career is a major life decision. Much thought, time, money, and effort goes into pursuing a veterinary career. Therefore, when a veterinary professional concludes they made the wrong career choice, they often experience a wave of self-judgment, guilt, and shame.This is compounded with beliefs about time lost, being trapped by debt, and a foundation-shaking mistrust of one's ability to make the right choices for themselves.Together, this can lead to myriad secondary challenges: anxiety, depression, fear of the future, hopelessness... ... all of which block the ability to see the Absolute Truths of the situation.Understanding the difference between Career Fit and Job Fit is the best place to start. To determine your Vet Med Career Alignment Score, visit https://joyfuldvm.com/quiz

Nobody likes a bully.In Vet Med bullies exist everywhere...ClientsLeadershipCo-workersUnfortunately, the high-pressure, high-stakes field of veterinary medicine can catalyze bullying behavior... but that doesn't mean it's acceptable or should be tolerated.This behavior greatly contributes to degrading veterinary culture and employee morale.The reasons it is allowed to continue are multifaceted and complex... but not irreversible. The two things that drive bullying behavior are the same two things that leave others susceptible to it.As we begin to recognize and heal these aspects of ourselves, not only do we become capable of standing up to those who would bully us, but we also stop behaving as bullies ourselves.Win-Win.Interested in learning more about why Vet Med is an emotionally challenging career, and what you can do about it? Check out my Free Course: The Truth About Vet Medhttps://joyfuldvm.com/freecourse

Are you feeling stuck?Does it seem like your veterinary career, your relationships, and your life are not moving forward?Have you begun to doubt that any of it will ever be different or better than it is right now?Many of us doubt...We recognize we are unhappy or discontent...We try to make sense of it...We try to figure out how we became stuck in a repeating pattern we don't particularly enjoy...We become angry, bitter, resentful.We become frustrated.We may even become hopeless.What's the point?How do we get out of this?We're stuck...But it doesn't have to stay that way.Shining through your "stuckness" is a signal.Do you see it?Are you paying attention?The sooner you recognize it, the sooner you can get engaged in your life again....Ready to get unstuck and become the master of your own life? Join us in Vet Life Academy! https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy

What’s possible for you regarding your career?What’s possible for you regarding your relationships?What’s possible for you regarding your finances?What’s possible for you regarding your future?Your answers to the questions above... that’s your filter.Your filter holds your potential.A filter that is clogged up with emotional and mental garbage will hold you back.It’s that simple.Our individual potential is only restricted by what we believe.What we believe becomes the filter through which we see our personal existence and the entire world.Left untended, it becomes very restrictive.The filter thickens with each thought, opinion, and belief that doesn’t serve us...Each self-judging comment...Critical and painful memories...Hurtful words and actions of other people that we have accepted as truth...Left untended, they all weave into the filter.As a result, our ability to see through the filter becomes limited to tiny gaps and holes...tiny light-strands of possibility...This creates a new belief... that what is possible for us has been compromised by our life experiences... that potential is finite, and mostly passed. This is not true.The possibilities for your life remain infinitely endless!Your potential has never been compromised, it remains solidly intact. You just can’t see it through the muck caught in your filter.As we begin to disassemble the filter, the possibilities for our lives burst wide open!Check out this episode of The Joyful DVM Podcast to learn more. Ready to begin cleaning out your filter so you can rediscover who you are and embrace the infinite possibilities this life has to offer? Join us in Vet Life Academy! https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy

Your individual energetic frequency creates your experience.It also influences the experience of others.Toxic Culture makes so much more sense when we understand the energy dynamic of what's happening.As we begin to understand the Veterinary Energetics, we can also identify the opportunities to create massive, positive, permanent shifts that rapidly improve culture.We also start to understand that our personal experience is never "at the mercy" of our coworkers and clients...WE ALONE control our Energetics...The solution requires Energetic Mastery one person at a time...This is deeply personal work that requires we embrace who we really are at our core, and work through all the muck that keeps us from living into the fullest expression of ourselves.The place to start: questioning your personal narrative in every area of your life.This is EXACTLY what we do inside Vet Life Academy.  Check it out here: https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy

I hadn't planned on sharing this story.Other than my husband, nobody knew this had even occurred...Until I shared it on Facebook...And turned it into a Podcast Episode...Now everyone will know.(Okay, okay... that's dramatic...)So why share it?Because I felt led to tell you what happened, and what I learned from it...Because there are lessons there we can all apply to our lives, and our careers...Because if we keep the bad things to ourselves, they turn on us...... we begin to believe We are bad...... we begin to believe We are responsible for things we don't control...... we begin to believe Everyone Else is doing a better job...So, in the spirit of discovery and learning, I shared my story.Grief, Sadness, Judgement, Shame, Guilt, Regret.It's all there.And with it the beautiful truth...I did the best I could with the information and resources I had at the time.I did my best.The outcome did not turn out as I wanted...... but I am still fundamentally me...(even if my silly human brain tries to convince me otherwise).Wondering how to get a handle on your silly brain so you can see through the challenges of your experiences to the truth of who you are in this world? Join us in Vet Life Academy!

I don't know what to do.How many times have you said that to yourself, or even shared it out loud?On its own, it seems innocent enough...But...Often it is accompanied by a parallel belief, " I SHOULD know what to do..."with the "shoulds" come judgment...with the "shoulds" come shame...with the "shoulds" come unrealistic expectations...(expectations that have never even been defined!)All of this highlights a very real way in which we are using our brains the Wrong Way!In this episode, I explain how we are limiting ourselves by relying on the super-smart brains that helped us to achieve our veterinary credentials in the first place.I also share the superpower you can tap into in those uncertain moments to help you find exactly what you need to keep going.When you're ready to learn more about how to become more comfortable with the unknown, join us in Vet Life Academy!

Joy and Happiness are NOT the same things.Joy is more than an emotion...It is a way of being...It is most highly experienced when we develop truth for ourselves in nine key areas... the nine buckets of alignment as I like to call them.Our human experience, left unquestioned and absent of intention, cannot (and will not) fill these nine buckets.That is our job.It is our mission.Only through the journey of exploring these buckets, dumping out what was never supposed to occupying them, filling them with the right things, do we develop joy.Joy is a way of being.It is INSPIRED Happiness.It is unshakable, and it cannot be stripped from us once it becomes part of who we are.Joyful DVM was created to help the veterinary community develop the Joy for themselves.In this episode, I share the 9 Buckets of Alignment and how you can start filling them with what you need to capture your own joy once and for all.Resources:Discover Your Purpose workshop

Our experience in veterinary medicine is determined by our thoughts about it. Habit thoughts...Thoughts we’ve been imprinted with from those around us (parents, teachers, colleagues, clients, media, etc.)...Thoughts we haven’t intentionally chosen for ourselves...So WHY?Why are some of us greatly influenced by others, and some of us are not?Why are some of us able to quickly embrace and implement the skill of intentional thinking, and others of us struggle?Why do some of us have seemingly endless energy, and others of us are just done after a few hours?Why do some of us thrive in veterinary practice, and others of us totally burn out?Many of us seek to answer these questions through personality assessments... and we do find part of the answer there.... sometimes.But it never explains all of it... all of the differentiation between us...And where we recognize we are different makes many of us question our value, our worth, our decisions...We feel “less than” when we don’t measure up to the ones who we believe are doing it right...For myself, I’ve just known in my soul that what makes us different is intentional... that being different isn’t a problem...that being like everyone else isn’t the solution...But, our society doesn’t embrace our differences.Modern culture finds safety and order in everyone being the same.It doesn’t work because it goes against the unique nature of who we are...In this episode, I introduce the science of Human Design... the science that explains our differentiation.Through Human Design we can find the answers to WHY our experiences are soooo different... why those differences result in different experiences...and how we can use the unique blueprint of our human design as a tool to navigate our lives, and the role that veterinary medicine plays in it.Resources:Human Design Basics Bootcamp

The Covid-19 pandemic has been with us for a year now and will continue to linger for the indefinite future in some way, shape, or form.Veterinary Medicine, like many industries, has been forced to adjust and adapt.A year in, our colleagues in clinical practice are exhausted. Like much of the rest of the world, we’re dreaming of getting back to normal....... but, we forget that “normal” wasn’t that great.Unicorn Practices...Our profession uses this term to describe those practices where employees feel appreciated and supported, staffing is adequate, clients are friendly, where work-life balance exists and compensation is appropriate.The best places to work are called Unicorns! This is a problem.Remember, “Unicorn“ is what we call those rarely seen medical cases... the ones many of us go our entire careers without encountering...and this is the term we use to describe the best places to work...This is a PROBLEM!Definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results...It’s time for change... well PAST time!This is the opportunity Covid-19 is providing us.Right now, the whole world is changing. NOW is the time to make fundamental changes to the way we have been doing business.It’s time to think outside the box.It’s time to embrace the reality that what worked in veterinary practice 50 years ago is no longer sustainable, or even desired, by the veterinarians and veterinary technicians of today.The practice of veterinary medicine has evolved.The level of service expected by many pet owners has evolved.Most of our hospitals have not.The foundation was already unstable... the pandemic amplified that... the opportunity is to shore it up to create a much better future in the aftermath.The solutions- unconventional.The results- life-altering... for your doctors, staff, clients, patients, and revenue.I don’t have all the answers... but I’ve got some ideas to get the creativity rolling.There are no rules to how you run your hospital, what services you provide, and how you do it. YOU GET TO DECIDE.You also get to CHANGE IT whenever you want... that’s the beauty of ownership.And, you get to leave to find it... that’s the beauty of being an employee.In this episode, I share a few unconventional ideas and my hope is that it gets you thinking about what you want for your life and career...The only thing required to make these changes is COURAGE. Not everybody will like your decisions... and that’s okay. It’s well past time to embrace the truth: if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we will never serve in our highest capacity or live our best lives. 

I don't care whether or not you stay in veterinary practice, or totally leave every potential job related to a veterinary license behind.I really don't.I care about your personal well-being.I care about your future happiness.I care about your purpose (I KNOW you have one, even if you aren't so sure).I also care about the decision many of us keep making to stay in terrible situations...Jobs that fuel our insecurity.Jobs that squash our self-confidence.Jobs that are literally dangerous, mentally and physically.In my opinion, there are three circumstances in which pursuing a different job is a MUST... and that's what I share in today's episode.Staying is not always the responsible or noble thing to do!Are you waiting for permission to leave this profession?Many of us don't realize that's what we are doing. We have trapped ourselves in our own self-judgment over our prior decision to pursue this career.That decision came with a significant investment of money and time...SO WHAT?If you need permission to go a different direction...YOU'VE GOT IT!PERMISSION GRANTED.Find your place.Live your life.Get on the waitlist for the Discover Your Purpose workshops. Get empowerment, encouragement, and education for your Vet Med career from Vet Life Academy today. 

What do you hate about Vet Med?I'm guessing creating that list would come pretty easily. I suspect justifying that list with your personal experiences would be effortless.I bet you could even round up a group of colleagues who would agree with you...... who would share their similar experiences...... who would create their own, very similar, list.Herein lies one of the sneakiest problems in Vet Med.Commiseration. There is a comfort that comes in sharing our experiences with our colleagues.Venting.Releasing the anger.Expressing our combined displeasure against the common enemies...In the anger and frustration of the collective we find solace, we find redemption...But there is one thing that will NEVER be found there...Hope.And not just hope.Possibility, Potential, Momentum, Compassion, Understanding...They can't be found there either.See, our brains are amazing computers.They can solve ANY problem.But they can't solve a problem they have never been asked.They can't gather evidence on topics we've never told it to be important.That's how the Reticular Activating System works...What we focus on, we create more of...This means the bi-product of all the venting and commiserating is going to be more evidence of reasons to vent and commiserate.This fuels our negative emotional state. But worse... it blocks the solutions.It's not that solutions don't exist, it's that we haven't told our minds that finding solutions is important. Resources:Discover Your Purpose workshop

The most common response to discomfort is to take action that results in a change.Makes sense from a survival perspective...(especially if you are being pursued by predators.)BUT... this "habit of leaving" isn't doing us any favors in the pursuit of our best lives.Sure, there will be jobs, relationships, and other circumstances in our lives that are not "right fits" for us...And, the first evidence of the "wrong fit" will likely be the negative emotions we experience...stress, anxiety, dread, inadequacy, frustration, undervalued, disrespected... We use the experience of these emotions to justify our choice to leave.BUT... when we leave a situation just to get away quickly from those negative emotions, we often find ourselves repeating the experience in the new environment.WHY?!Spoiler: Not for the reasons most of us think.In this episode, I dive into the one thing most of us don't even know we need to do in our haste to leave undesirable experiences behind... and why we must begin doing it if we ever want to stop the pattern from repeating.We focus on this skill in Vet Life Academy.  

As a veterinary professional you are likely a very smart person.After all, it wasn't by accident that you were able to pass those board examinations to secure your licensure...But something happens to many of us once we get into practice...The real-world becomes overwhelming and confusing.Our logical and strategic left-brained thinking tries to make sense of our experience.Tries.Fails.Why can't we figure this out?We can't fix what is making us stressed and unhappy if we can't identify it.So, we keep trying to identify it.But we can't find it... so we begin to believe everyone else is happy and coping...We conclude: It must just be me...Friend, there's a lot you don't understand about the way your brain works.Left BrainRight BrainLower BrainHigher BrainWithout this knowledge, OF COURSE, you're left to conclude that you are the problem.Best News: You're not!There's just a mental battle going on in your mind between that super-smart and logical left brain, and the freaked-out toddler lower brain.Once you understand what's happening everything gets easier.I explain it all in this episode. Check it out!

What if you were never meant to work in Vet Med forever?What if the clinical practice was only supposed to be a tiny part of your journey?What if you were never supposed to "fit in" there?If these things are true, then did you make a mistake pursuing it in the first place?Many of us would believe Yes.Some of our friends, family members, and colleagues would also believe Yes.I believe NO. Absolutely not.Forever and always, pursuing Vet Med was your Best. Decision. Ever.How is that possible?How can I conclude with absolute certainty that the time and money you invested in a career you didn't "stick with" in a traditional (or even non-traditional) form was a good thing?How can you not?In this episode, I peel back all the judgment and pressures from society that keep us stuck in a life and career some of us aren't designed to stay in long-term.Resources:The Discover Your Purpose Workshop

You and I have at least one thing in common...We both pursued careers in Vet Med.Beyond that, there are similarities, and there are differences. Society and culture would have us believe our differences are problematic.This idea is so integrated that it leaves us comparing ourselves to others...Not measuring up...Concluding that the others have it all together, and we are the outliers who don’t.We suffer quietly, hiding our inadequacies with perfectionism, efforts to control, and isolation.We also buy into a homogenized idea of what “good practices” look like and how “good doctors” and “good technicians” behave and perform.The result: a constant state of self-critique against an expectation that is neither clearly defined, nor attainable.The perfect recipe for diminishing self-confidence, burnout, and despair.But this is only part of the story.On the other side are those veterinary professionals who flourish...Those who embody the calling to serve in this way, and become more of who they are in the process...Those who welcome the integration of vet med and private life.So, which way is right? Which way is better?Neither.Both.The truth is, you are not supposed to be like everybody else.There is no one right way to practice and work in veterinary medicine. The more you try to force yourself to conform to the “veterinary box” as you learned to define it along the way, the more you will struggle.Life is supposed to be easier than that. In this episode, I share my thoughts on the Vet Med Box and the gift you can give yourself by Breaking Free of Vet Med.To discover how to become more of who you are, and how Vet Med fits into your journey, check out Vet Life Academy! 

"I just can't do this anymore."Most of us in the veterinary profession have said those words... at least to ourselves.Maybe the last time was after a particularly sad euthanasia.Or, maybe after an ugly encounter with a client.Or, perhaps, when leaving work hours after the scheduled end of your shift.There comes a point for all of us when we are no longer willing to tolerate certain things in our lives.This is the Breaking Point...and it's actually a GOOD THING.In this episode, I share my perspective on the Breaking Point, why it's actually one of the most important moments in your life, and four things that determine whether you Evolve or Break on the other side. Resources:Want to understand where stress comes from and how to manage it? Join the FREE Webinar - How To Be Happy In Vet Med. Click here to join. Get empowerment, encouragement, and education for your Vet Med career from Vet Life Academy today. 

Veterinary medicine brings us the opportunity to feel all the feels.You might struggle with that part.I did.I still do, sometimes.If you're anything like me, you probably have a tendency toward perfectionism.Perhaps you beat yourself up from time to time.And, maybe, you use things like junk food, television, shopping, and even overworking to try to feel better.(If I could just get caught up...)But let me guess...It doesn't work.No matter how hard you try, or how much you do, it's never enough.It's never enough to stop the emotional rollercoaster.This isn't an inherent defect in you, friend.The rollercoaster... that's just part of the human experience.VetMed just makes it a little more interesting. The solution is not to get away from or to cover up all the feelings.The only reliable solution is to lean into them.Yes... feel them on purpose.Learn to understand what they are and where they come from.Make them familiar.Embrace them as allies.Through this, they lose power. In this episode, I explain why.Ready to get to work? Check out Vet Life Reboot. 

Our world is full of never-ending opportunities to be stimulated.Veterinary jobs reinforce this with overbooked schedules and chaotic days. The unpredictable nature of practicing medicine doesn't help.Many of us get through our days with a combination of adrenaline and caffeine. We then collapse in physical exhaustion when we get home... but the looping thoughts about work, cases, and life are relentless. It never stops. We rarely feel rested.With the thought loops come a steady dose of cortisol.The long-term impact on our physiology... not good.In this episode, I share a simple hack for slowing down our predominant state of fight-or-flight, quieting the thought loops, and intentionally activating our parasympathetic nervous systems so we can reset.The best part... you can do it anywhere!Interested in learning more about how you can break your stress habit?Check out the latest on-demand resources at JoyfulDVM.com

Are you experiencing the compounding effect of anxiety and stress? Does it seem like it's getting heavier than usual?You aren't alone!If you're like me, your mind drifts frequently to the "what if..."And, let's face it... with the pandemic, election-related activities, and our own personal and professional challenges... we have a lot of material to work with.It may seem that considering the "what if's" is a useful tactic for preparing in advance for what might come next. MIGHT.Truth is, we don't know.We have never known.Not knowing was way more comfortable when the state of the world wasn't so visibly uncertain.See, when it wasn't so visible, and regularly discussed, we just didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it.We also didn't spend a lot of time planning for the next wave of it.Ignorance was bliss... The bliss didn't come from the world actually being more certain before all of this... ... it came from what we believed about the certainty of the world at that time.Our beliefs have changed.Our experience has changed.Our focus has shifted, and we are now acutely aware of many things our minds simply filtered out of our awareness before.The result: All these extra thoughts are creating extra emotion.Unfortunately, that extra emotion is often in the form of anxiety, stress, fear, anger, etc.Not useful.In this episode, I share a three-letter hack for interrupting the cycle of anxiety and stress many of us are trapped in.Interested in learning more about concepts like these? Visit https://joyfuldvm.com to learn about our latest resources and events.

We often experience an emotional rollercoaster in veterinary medicine.There are extreme moments of happiness, relief, and appreciation...And there are also extreme moments of grief, regret, and fear.However, the framework of our veterinary careers, and entire lives, actually creates no emotion for us at all.Life has two components:FrameworkExperienceThe framework is created by facts... data points, actions, words, and events that the entire population would agree occurred.Facts can be proven... facts can be captured on video, audio, or in written form.Facts are not disputed. Facts are not right or wrong, they just are.Experience, on the other hand, is entirely subjective.Our experience is created by what we believe about the facts, and the emotions that those beliefs create.Therefore, the emotional rollercoaster is simply a reflection of our experience...... a reflection of what we believe about the facts in any given moment.Changing our experience doesn't require the facts to be different than they are.Changing our experience only requires us to identify the facts, and then to intentionally decide what we want to believe about them.What we believe moment-by-moment determines our emotional wellbeing.Our level of emotional wellbeing produces our life outcomes.Controlling our own story creates life-fueling freedom.Ready to dig more into these types of concepts? Join me in my next webinar:https://joyfuldvm.com/webinar

There are Four Root Causes of all Anxiety in Vet Med:Unexpected OutcomesPersonal Inexperience Human InteractionsPrior DecisionsThese causes have two things in common:None of them are within our control.All of them are anchored in Fear. Because they are anchored in fear, they feel extra terrible.They feel like something we need to fix, solve or avoid.They feel like something that threatens our life and well-being.Well, that's 1/2 right.It feels that way...... but our life and well-being are not actually in jeopardy. So why does this happen and what can/should you do about it?Check out this episode to learn more.Resources: Vet Life Academy

The new year is coming.So, where do you land?In the camp of excited anticipation?Or in the camp of dread, doubt, uneasiness, and a little bit of fear?No doubt, 2020 threw us a hefty dose of the unexpected...But......not really more than any other year.Read that again...Not really more than any other year. What we can predict has remained unchanged.What we control, that's remained unchanged too.But the paradigm of what we believe.... now that's where the real shift occurred.For many of us, that paradigm shift created a super-dose of uncertainty.We don't like uncertainty.But there is good news here...Just because the paradigm shifted, we still have the ability to choose what we believe... we have the power to shift the paradigm again to generate what we really need most heading into 2021:Belief.In this episode, I break down how our paradigm will create or sabotage our success in 2021... and what you can do now to tip the scales in your favor as we move into the new year. Resources Mentioned:Joyful DVM FREE Webinar

The decisions we make exclusively from our emotional experience often do not create the results we ultimately want.We make decisions this way because we want to feel better. And when we make these decisions rashly. It's simply evidenced that we want to feel better immediately. It works... for a while.When we change our circumstances we automatically experience different emotional feelings... ... not because the new environment is better than the old, but only because our thoughts are different.In the new environment, we think about different things.Thoughts create Emotions.When it comes to our career, this decision-making approach does NOT move us closer to the career and vet life experience that we actually want. In this episode, I introduce an emotion-proof strategy for determining and evaluating current and future job opportunities... and share why we tend to leave bad-fit jobs in anger, rather than in brave pursuit of what we want next.Ready for some support as you apply this approach to your career and life in 2021? Click here to join us in the Intentional Happiness Program. 

Thinking about quitting Vet Med?You aren’t alone.Thoughts of leaving this sh*twshow behind are pretty common for a lot of us.Ya, Really!But, why?Here’s where it gets interesting...Why are you thinking about leaving your job?Why are you thinking about ditching the profession altogether?My guess: the VMVs... Blame directed at the Vet Med Villains is the most common response to “Why” we leave Vet Med.Makes sense.Seems logical.Feels justified.We experience a lot of suffering at the hands of those villains...Entitled clientsCranky coworkersGreedy bossesTerrible schedulesInadequate payCrushing student loan balancesTOUGH LOVE: WRONG ANSWER!The VMVs are never the reason we change jobs or leave the profession.We flee because we want to get away from the way we feel in relation to the VMVs.It may seem like an insignificant difference, but it’s actually a critical differentiation!See, when our Why for leaving blames the VMVs, then we hand over our power and our personal well-being to them. We make them responsible for our experience, and life choices... but they never are.Changing jobs or leaving for these reasons has us running away...We are leaving to get away from how we feel as quickly as possible... We leave because we believe we will feel better anywhere else...(and we probably will, for a while). The problem with this is what comes NEXT: more of the same...When we leave to get away, we don’t intentionally choose where we are going... But, more on that topic next week.Right now, consider this...When all the dialogue and beliefs about why our job is so hard focus on blaming the VMVs... And when we make decisions about our own lives and careers as a result of what we believe about the VMVs and their influence... And when we draw conclusions about our own abilities and future potential from a mental space primarily occupied by thoughts about the VMVs...Then we really do live our lives at the mercy of the VMVs... which we will never control and never change.Living as a passenger in our own lives sucks.Want to learn more? Check out this episode!

We put a lot of pressure on happiness.We've turned it into the measure of the quality of our life and career. Of course, we want to be happy!But in pursuit of that, we've turned the absence of happiness into something that it is not.Absence of happiness does not mean something is going wrong.Absence of happiness does not mean something needs to be fixed.Absence of happiness does not mean someone else needs to be different.Absence of happiness does not mean you have the wrong job, relationship, salary, schedule, body weight, hair color, etc., etc., etc.Absence of happiness simply means you are not experiencing the emotion of happiness at this moment. It does not mean it's gone for good...... and it does not mean bringing it back has to be complicated or difficult.It's actually super simple. It's also 100% dependent on you and you alone.Happiness is simply an emotion.It's just a vibration in our bodies that feels amazing.Like any emotion, it's created by only one thing... our own thoughts.When you clean up your thoughts, happiness becomes inevitable.Ready to master this in 2021?Join us in the 2021 Intentional Happiness Program.A few hundred veterinary professionals all working toward intentional happiness and supporting each other along the way...Imagine the impact. Click here to join us in the 2021 Intentional Happiness Program. 

Some of the hardest components of a veterinary career are amplified by four things:Stressful Client InteractionsUnexpected Patient DeathBoard Complaints / Negative Performance EvaluationsNegative Online Business ReviewsWe try our best to avoid these things... ... to keep them from happening.And then when they do, we turn inward...> we blame ourselves> we determine we are bad vets or vet techs> we conclude we aren't fit for this jobThis all creates a lot of suffering for us in this profession. It makes us miserable at work, and at home. But the suffering that we experience... it's all optional.In veterinary medicine, we will interact with clients, we will have patients die, we will receive feedback (solicited or otherwise)... ... it's all just part of the job.What's not part of the job is the negative conclusions we draw about ourselves, our abilities, our colleagues, or clients, and our future. That part is all optional.That part is neither inevitable nor guaranteed. In this week's podcast episode, I dig into these four misery-makers and offer an alternative perspective that can begin to change everything you believe about your prior experiences and the future of your chosen career.

In veterinary medicine and life, happiness is never something to be found, it is only something to be created.Happiness is an emotion.Emotions are never created by the events of the world.This faulty conclusion we've drawn about the things that happen to be the cause of the way we feel is defeating.When we believe our happiness (and other emotions) are dependent on the things that happen around us, we also often recognize we have no control over those things.As a result, we don't see a path to feeling better.Our self-care activities, then, become all about changing our situation.We miss the beautiful growth and opportunities that become available when we explore the real cause of those emotions in the first place.We also miss the simplicity of creating Intentional Happiness for ourselves.Life events, like podcast episodes that don't actually get recorded the first time you speak all the words... and cats that get sick with mystery illnesses you can't figure out... these no longer become life-altering joy stealers when you have the skill of Intentional Happiness. Soon we'll be enrolling in the 2021 Intentional Happiness Strategic Success Program.If you're ready to create a different experience for yourself next year, no matter what the universe sends our way, you'll want to participate with us. The only way to learn when enrollment opens and to sign up is by email... so make sure you're on our email list. Click here to join. 

In an uncontrollable world, there is one thing you can control one hundred percent of the time...You.Unfortunately, many of us give away that control, which compounds the impact.The ways in which we give up our control are subtle.We don't recognize these three simple things have a massive negative impact on our lives, self-confidence, and our futures.Those things:People pleasingFailing to set boundariesBufferingWhen we learn to manage ourselves in all of these areas, our lives immediately begin to improve.Our frustration dissipates.Defeat fades.Possibility and Hope emerge.The power of making your own choices fuels your self-confidence.You no longer tolerate allowing decisions to be made for you... that privilege is yours and yours alone, and you embrace it. In this episode, I take a closer look at the three joy and control-stealing activities of people-pleasing, failing to set boundaries, and buffering. Joyful DVM has a brand new course that can help you get a jump on a massive change in all of these areas. To learn more about it, join our next webinar.

The Vet Med journey is not predictable. Despite the shared experiences of those who’ve gone before, the journeys of others are not indicative of our own. We will forge our own paths. Left to chance, those paths look very similar.But, intentionally decided, they look very different.Vet Med is simply a catalyst. The ultimate question becomes this:How do you determine the value of your life?Are you measuring your life success, and finding satisfaction (or lack thereof) based on variables you decided?Or have you just adopted the standards of the world?Did you even realize YOU get to decide?In this week’s episode, I take a look at the impact of adopting “life success measures” that are not your own.I also introduce the “when and then” approach many of us take which leaves us chasing an expectation that is neither defined nor attainable. To learn how you can begin living an intentional life in Vet Med and beyond, check out Vet Life Reboot here.

Veterinary Work-Life Balance is an interesting thing. In Vet Med we often lament about not having it ...and we identify it as a must-have when searching for new jobs.Many of us believe the perfect job can make work-life balance a reality for us.So, we actively seek work-life balance, as if it is something to be found... as if it's, something we've misplaced or just not come across yet.We have it all wrong.Work-life balance will never be found because it doesn't exist outside of us and our own experiences.Work-life balance must be created.Good News: We are perfectly equipped to create it!I've identified 5 Components that make up work-life balance:Boundaries Personal Efficiency Self Confidence Mind Management Future FocusIn this episode, I take a closer look at these 5 Components of Work-Life Balance in Veterinary Medicine.The ability to fully develop these components is influenced greatly by our Vet Life Profile. Once we've identified our Vet Life Profile, we'll understand why creating work-life balance has been so hard in the past, and we'll discover how we can start moving forward right away.Our Vet Life Profile changes over time. Wonder where you are today? To take a quick quiz to identify your personal Vet Life Profile, understand why creating Work-Life Balance has been such a struggle, and find out how you can leverage your Vet Life Profile to start creating Work-Life Balance right away, Click Here: https://joyfuldvm.com/quiz

The veterinary environment can be rough. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally.We often blame the clients, and their behavior, for our experience. But, it doesn't start there.It starts closer to home.Many of us experience work environments where gossiping and back-stabbing are the norm...... where "us against them" is common...... where nobody seems happy, and nobody feels safe.In these environments, we turn on each other. We become self-righteous. We judge harshly. We become control-freaks and perfectionists. We think these things are useful. (They aren't).Evidence of this can be found within the walls of our organizations, and also in how we interact outside of those walls.> Every time we bash a neighboring clinic, it's proof.> Every time we talk negatively about a referring colleague to a client, it's proof.> Every time we believe there is an authority to fight against, it's proof.So what are we actually trying to achieve with all of this anger? We are just trying to feel better.See, anger is familiar, and it feels more powerful than fear and uncertainty. It feels justified and we justify it through blame.But what are we really angry about? It usually boils down to one simple concept: The way things are is different than the way we believe they should be... and if they were different, we'd be happy.We think we know best how things should be. We believe we don't have any power to change how things are. We believe that the way things are is the cause of our current quality of life.When we believe we don't have power over our own lives, we often feel afraid. That fear takes many forms....fear of patient outcomesfear of client reactionsfear of getting firedfear of not making enough moneyfear of paying off our debtfear of making mistakesfear of negative reviewsfear of board complaintsYou get the idea. Bottom Line: Fear feels terrible. Fear feels life-threatening.Anger feels much better. It has become the veterinary industry's coping mechanism. Rather than tackle that which we are afraid of, we become angry.Anger brings a false sense of control and builds a community of sorts with others who share in our anger. We become a profession of very angry people. That anger bleeds into every crevice of our hospitals, and onto our profession as a whole.We think the solution is for other people to behave differently. We think the solution is for things to be different than they are. Thankfully, that is not the solution. The solution is in learning just a few things...Fear is just an emotion, and its presence isn't a problemAnger is always optional and gives away our powerThere are very few things we control in this job, and that's okayWe can always choose to do our best in any situationWhat happens next is something we decide for ourselves, alwaysVet Med is simply the catalyst for Personal Growth. The time we spend cannibalizing each other in this profession is time we could be spending getting to know ourselves, and growing into the people we are meant to be. Instead, many of us stunt our own growth through anger, blame, and victim mentality. There is no power in that place. Your future is brighter than that. You dim your own light when you spend your energy focusing on that which you have no power to change. That same energy, focused intentionally, on what you want for your future, is much more powerful... it's unstoppable.We can either continue to live looking down, swirling in anger and blame, or we can look up and step forward. We can't do both. This is your journey. This is your life. You decide for you.Ready for some help? Check out Vet Life

Remember the Bluebirds I talked about back in Episode 11? They taught me a great lesson, which I shared on the podcast, about how to overcome obstacles.(If you haven't listened to Episode 11, consider checking it out.)Turns out, they had more wisdom to share.Perseverance:The ability to keep doing something despite how hard it is and how long it takes to achieve success.When we graduate with our veterinary degrees and get out into the real world, it's hard.Really hard.We decide we're doing it wrong.Many of us quit.We forget about the 3-5 year learning window we enter post-graduation... and again every time we change jobs.We hold ourselves to success standards that are unrealistic, and undefined.We compare our newbie veterinary selves to those seasoned through many many more years of experience.When we cut and run, we feel better...but, we miss four amazing gifts that only perseverance can provide.I tell you all about it, and share an unexpected surprise from the Bluebirds, in this episode. 

Uncertainty creates fear.Veterinary Medicine is full of uncertainty.It's no wonder many of us feel stressed, anxious, and worried a lot of the time.Under all of those emotions is fear.We've tried our best to eliminate the uncertainty.We've become control freaks & perfectionists.(okay, okay... so maybe those aren't new traits... but they are more dominant now) ​​We've also become increasingly frustrated and angry.When the humans don't follow our rules​​​​, when the patients don't get better as we plan, we feel lots of things.Under it all is fear.Fear of judgment.Fear of their potential anger.​​​​​​​​​​​Fear of their potential actions.And that fear feeds on our own insecurities.It feels terrible.We try everything we can to avoid, or quickly eliminate our fear.It's exhausting.It's also totally unnecessary. ​​See, the fear is not coming from the unexpected way our cases and client interactions play out. It's more instinctual than that, and it's not a problem until we let it drive our decisions and beliefs. The solution isn't Stopping Fear... it's learning to use fear-filled situations as an opportunity to tap into Empowerment.Vet Med gives us lots of opportunities to practice this skill, and I've created a process to make it easier.​​​​​​​​To get a copy of the ​Five-Step Process for Transitioning from Fear to Empowerment pdf, CLICK HEREThis week, ​​I talk about the Impact of Fear in Veterinary Medicine and walk through some specific examples to show you exactly take control of your emotional well-being in any situation.Empowerment opens all doors to the future you want for yourself.Let's get to work!Resources mentioned in this podcast:Five-Step Process for Transitioning from Fear to Empowerment pdf

Fear is a powerful motivator.It makes perfect since when we remember the original purpose of this emotion...Self Preservation.Fear is part of our built-in alert system. Super useful when our ancestors were being hunted by predators, not so much today.The alert system still exists... and it’s really good at sending off false alarms.Fear is so instinctual that it is often the first thing we feel in any uncertain situation.Uncertainty creates fear. Fear drives the desire to withdraw... to get away from the uncertain (scary) situation at hand.This instinctual series of events is REACTIONARY.When we live our lives through a sequence of reactionary actions, we give away our power...we abandon our ability to choose...we become victims of the things we can't control.This is all optional.Empowerment trumps fear every. single. time.When empowerment exists concurrently with fear, the impact of fear is diminished.Fear may be unpredictable, unavoidable, and instinctual... but Empowerment is deliberate.Empowerment can be created On Demand as we embrace our ability to master our own mindset and intentionally chose what we believe in any situation.Wondering how to intentionally create empowerment when you are feeling afraid? In this podcast episode, I share the Five-Step Process for Transitioning from Fear to Empowerment. 

Feeling angry with your veterinary clients because they just don't get it?Tired of the complaining about scheduling appointments, curbside service, and the inability to get in same-day?Wishing they'd just chill out and understand what you're going through?You aren't alone.But it's not just veterinary clinics experiencing this Extra from clients.And it's not just veterinary clinics turning to social media to publicly Client Shame the behavior.Not Cool, Friends.Sure, this passive-aggressive behavior is driven by your frustration with your cranky clients... but not all of your clients are cranky... and your best ones may actually be driven away by your PSA.(It's not going to fix the problems with the cranky ones, either).Here's some tough truth:Your most difficult clients today were also your most difficult clients before the pandemic...and you let them get away with this type of behavior... you taught them to treat you this way by not sticking to your hospital policies (or not having policies at all).A Client Shaming PSA is not going to fix this for you.In this Episode: 1. I share one strategy that will effectively stop (most) of this behavior.2. I shed some light on what really drove you to try the Client Shaming approach.3. I explain why, six months into this new normal, it seems like clients just aren't grasping this new way of doing things.

How's your mood?Think back over the last several days, weeks, or even months...How have you been feeling?These may seem like random questions, but the answers explain Everything about the progress you've been making (or not making) toward creating the life you want.Your mood is a direct reflection of your Net Emotional State.So, if you're spending most of your waking hours stressed, angry, or unhappy then there is no reason to beat yourself up for not making progress toward your goals.It makes perfect scientific sense to me why you are stuck. But, do you know why?Curious? Check out Part 3 of this Vet Med Joy Stealers series.By the end, you'll understand what's really been going, and have greater awareness about what you can actually do about it. (Your options might surprise you!)

How are you choosing your clients?Are you intentionally cultivating the clientele you serve?Or, are you just accepting every potential client who seeks your services?Did you even realize you had a choice?You Do!What about your compensation...Are you paying yourself adequately as a practice owner?Do you understand how you can increase your compensation as an associate?Do you know how to move up in compensation as support staff?If your answer is no, then recognize that you are drawing conclusions in the absence of actual information.It's time to have a conversation!How about your time?Believing you don't have time to live your life the way you want?You'll prove yourself true every. single. time. A scarcity mindset left unchecked has undesirable consequences in our veterinary careers and in our lives.To learn more about how scarcity is a joy-stealer in Veterinary Medicine, check out Episode 17

Vet Med is an interesting career.Often a Love / Hate relationship.Spectacularly rewarding, and crushingly devastating all at the same time.The events that occur in veterinary medicine are just part of the job.The way that we respond to the events, is optional.OPTIONAL.That's really hard to see when a client is blasting us on social media, or a six-month-old puppy dies during a routine spay.Frustration, Fear, and Sadness are appropriate emotional responses... But then we take it too far...We make it personal.We tie up those events, and our resultant emotions, with our personal professional abilities and individual self-worth.Friends, those things are not connected.Unhappy clients and poor patient outcomes often steal our joy, but that an optional consequence.Check out this Episode 16 to find out why.

Scenario: You're asked a yes-or-no question.How do you respond?Yes, without hesitating?Awesome!No, without regret?Excellent! No, with remorse because you really want to say yes?Uh-oh... trouble ahead...Yes, with bitterness and anger because you really want to say no?Welcome to the People Pleasers Club... your future is at risk.Not Joking.How did yes-or-no questions get so complicated?!Fear.It all comes down to fear.Fear of disapproval.Fear of conflict.Fear of unknown consequences. Fear of judgment.Fear of saying No. If you're saying Yes when you really mean No, then you're probably People Pleasing.If you're saying No, but justifying your answer with "I can't..." or "I shouldn't..." then you still aren't owning your choice... So who's getting hurt here?YOU ARE!People pleasing and justifying are self-defeating and disempowering actions.They also aren't polite or kind because they are disingenuous in nature.These actions destroy self-confidence.These actions inhibit your ability to create the life you want and to become the person you are meant to be.I dig into it all in this episode - Episode 14.Resources mentioned:Vet Life Academy & the Setting Boundaries Workshop bonus Setting Boundaries Blueprint

Therapy or Coaching?It's a question I'm asked frequently by my veterinary colleagues.It's yet another example of binary thinking... either/or...For some of us, both might be the best choice.Mostly it just comes down to our ultimate goals.If we want to heal the past and put it to rest, therapy is great for this.If we want to move beyond the past to intentionally create something different for the future, coaching is the answer.There is a lot of stigmas, even now, associated with therapy.The shame is unnecessary.There is no place for judgment, neither self-judgment nor the judgment of others when it comes to people seeking the help they need.We aren't supposed to have it all together all the time.Sometimes we need help, and we should not be afraid to seek it.But too often, we keep our pain bottled inside... where it grows into something far greater and more negatively influential than it really is. We make choices as if that pain is our only reality.It's not. Therapy and coaching can both help in this regard.Bottom line: Get the help you need.You are not alone.Everything you want is possible for your life.Resources Mentioned:Webinar: Everything Is PossibleCoaching Program: Vet Life Academy

How do you think your life should be?For that matter, how do you believe the world should be?We all have our opinions...... and when it comes to our own lives, the gap between what we believe it should be like and what it actually is, creates emotional turmoil.This is true in our vet med jobs, our relationships with others, and even our evaluations of ourselves.When we focus on what should be, we miss the opportunity in what is.Even when the reality isn't as we'd like it to be, embracing the truth creates power and opportunity... in veterinary medicine and in life. The land of "should be" creates shame, inaction, and hopelessness. It's binary.  Either / Or. It's limiting... forcing you to experience your life as the effect of external things.It's victimizing... it builds a false belief that you have no control.It kills self-confidence. So what else? How about AND..."And" opens up opportunity."And" focuses on what's possible."And" creates compassion and hope.Resources Mentioned:Vet Life Academy    

Our circumstances don't stop us from pursuing our goals and dreams...... our thought patterns do. Our minds are complex, to say the least.Our thought patterns are layered, and very influential... but not always in a good way.It's so easy to believe that our circumstances are the problem...... that our circumstances are the reason why we aren't living our best lives.The Eastern Bluebirds on our farm clearly reminded me this is never true... and I'm sharing that story today on the podcast.Unconventional? Probably.A powerful illustration of truth? Yes!Once we let the idea that our circumstances can keep stop us from achieving our dreams take the seed, our minds go to work gathering the evidence to prove the idea true.Powerful autopilot.Basic neuroscience. Detrimental outcome. Unintentional result.Left unchecked, our thoughts will lead us in directions we never intentionally meant to go. We don't even realize it's happening if we don't know we have a choice in what we think about.Read that again.You have a choice in what you think about.In those moments when horror and panic try to take over... do you really want them to drive?Emotions drive action, always.But emotion is only created by thoughts... and thoughts can be intentionally created. Don't like your results? Check your actions.Don't like your actions? Uncover your thought patterns.Intentionally change your mind, and intentionally change your life. 

You know what they say about assumptions...It holds true in Vet Med as well.There is a collection of broad-sweeping beliefs that many of us have about our lives as veterinary professionals.The most influential beliefs are about the impact of our career choice on our time and income potential. Through the normal course of our veterinary careers, we've absorbed these beliefs from those who have gone before us. The perspectives are common.We've accepted, without question, these conclusions as truth.Absolute truth.Together they become the lens through which we see our lives and what is possible... ... and what is impossible...In this episode, I peel apart the assumptions, examine how these assumptions have led us to draw conclusions that hold us back, and share how you can put your own mind to work to find the solutions that will result in fulfilling Vet Med's life and career.Resources Mentioned:Setting Boundaries Workshop

No doubt, 2020 thus far has been quite a ride... and we're only halfway through. True end of the world? Maybe.Getting back to normal soon? Not even an option. As I looked back at just some of the things 2020 has brought us and considered the way we humans have reacted, I see the silver lining. Do you see it?Many of us are missing it because of our current suffering.Our fear, uncertainty, and grief keep us from recognizing what else is happening.The world is changing.People are finding the courage to use their voices.Organizations are adjusting the way they do business, permanently.We are no longer willing to settle for what was before.There is no going back... and that's a good thing. This is the time to make the massive changes you've dreamed of for your life.At first consideration, it might appear the timing is terrible.I'd argue it's never been better. Resources Mentioned:1. Article: 28 things you probably forgot happened in the whirlwind that 2020 has been 2. Vet Life Academy

The noise and action of the world can drown out what is real. In this short and sweet episode, I offer truth and encouragement to veterinary professionals, and every person,  who might need a gentle reminder that they are enough. Your worth is infinite.Your value is priceless.Your potential is limitless.Your purpose is real.Your dreams and goals are needed in this world.Don't give up.Resources:Vet Life Academy

The quality of veterinary clinic culture is directly related to the gap between expectation and reality.The 5 components of culture in veterinary organizations include:LeverageSchedulePayPoliciesLeadershipAt the time of employment and onboarding, expectations in all of these areas are created. What we experience, then, either aligns with expectations or does not. When it doesn't, a gap between expectation and reality is created, trust is eroded, and culture suffers. A suffering culture is displayed in the actions and interactions of employees and leaders. It is these behaviors and the way we feel as we witness these behaviors, that creates the toxicity we often reference. In the thick of it, we totally miss that there is ALWAYS one person we can trust in every single situation...  one person who has our back no matter what... the only person who can alter the misery we are experiencing... that person is you.The quality of clinic culture is directly related to the gap between expectation and reality. The personal impact of clinic culture is created only by our thoughts about it. Wondering what you can do to change your personal experience? Check out this episode and join us at Vet Life Academy. To learn more, check out my free webinar joyfuldvm.com/webinarResources Mentioned:Vet Life AcademyFree Webinar

Have you ever been talking to a client and you see them zone out so you switch gears to try to deliver your message a different way, all the while watching for any signs of comprehension or consent?Or have you been delivering unexpected news and find yourself in an explanation loop... rationalizing, justifying, convincing... all while that little voice in your head screams, "Just Stop Talking!".It's all pretty common. There are four main reasons we talk to veterinary clients:ConversationalGathering informationEducatingUpdatingThese four reasons also have four levels of potential risk of personal emotional impact and confrontation.In this episode I break them all down, with examples, and share how adjusting your focus will make both you and the client feel better... not Vet Med word vomit required.

It's no surprise we try to measure our success in Vet Med. We are constantly looking for indications that we are doing it right, or doing it wrong. Unfortunately, success in Vet Med can't be measured by tangible things.So, in the absence of tangible measures of success, we create our own:Clients who are happy and patients who get better mean we're doing it right.Clients who are angry and patients who don't respond to treatment mean we're doing it wrong.But, it doesn't work that way.In this episode, I take at the harmful way we measure our success in VetMed, why we do it, how misplaced responsibility contributes to the problem, and the one true measure of success that provides accurate feedback every time. Featured in this episode:Vet Life Academy 

What's the hardest part of veterinary medicine? Most of us wouldn't identify getting bitten, being pooped on, learning to take well-positioned radiographs, or figuring out how to draw blood on fractious cats as the hard parts of our jobs. The hard part is feeling stressed out all the time, and we believe that stress comes from things like cranky clients, conversations about money and euthanasia. The good news is that it doesn't. We can develop Emotional Resilience and it all starts with understanding the true definitions of "Feel" and using the word appropriate... something most of us are doing wrong. Developing Emotional Resilience in Veterinary Medicine Requires:Identifying the real emotion we are feelingIdentifying the real cause of the emotionLetting go of responsibility for the emotions of othersThe quickest way to increase your self-confidence is by developing your emotional resilience.Additional Resources:Everything Is Possible Webinar https://joyfuldvm.com/webinar

Many of us don't speak out or take action in our lives not because we don't agree that change is needed, but because we are afraid of doing it wrong. The fear keeps us living small and accepting the status quo.Our human brains rationalize those choices.It seems very logical...But we forget, the best part of our human brain provides the capacity to evaluate our own thought patterns and to purposely develop new ones. This is the skill we learn and practice every day at the Vet Life Academy. It is this ability that will create the change we desire in our individual lives, and the greater change that the world needs. We are resistant to examining the thoughts we aren't proud of, so we push them aside and ignore their existence. In doing that, we give them power... the power to keep us from taking action.What we don't understand is that our thoughts are not a direct reflection of who we are as moral and ethical humans, they are just sentences offered to us by our human brain. "Our thoughts don't have moral value". -Kara Loewentheil, J.D., Master Certified Life CoachOur thoughts don't define us.Our actions do.Shaming yourself for your thoughts will stop you from taking action.We must be willing to be uncomfortable as we examine our own existing thought patterns if we are ever going to intentionally focus on what we truly value. Without deliberately teaching ourselves this skill, our lives (and the world) remains at the effect of unintentional thinking. We remain passive. We support in silence.We don't grow into who we are meant to be. The world doesn't change."When you are clear on your values, the decision making comes easy." -Stu McLaren, Consultant, Founder of TribeFEATURED ON THE SHOW:Vet Life Academy https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademyKara Loewentheil https://www.facebook.com/karaloewentheil/Stu McLaren https://www.facebook.com/stumclaren/

Our purpose as part of a veterinary hospital, whether we are veterinarians or veterinary technicians, or veterinary practice managers, is to serve clients and treat patients. That is all. That is why veterinary hospitals exist.Unfortunately, most of us spend an abundant amount of time focused on things that do not fall into the purpose of our role... simply put, we don’t stay in our lane. This shows up as gossiping, commiserating, and judging. When we consider the impact of gossiping, commiserating, and judging on our ability to fulfill our role in veterinary medicine, there are three clear undesirable consequences:We waste time.We compromise client service and patient care.We create career regret.So how do we fix it, or in the case of our new grads, keep it from happening?There are two things we must intentionally keep in mindWhere our role has actual influence and responsibility in the different stages of the Veterinary Appointment CycleWhy we chose this career in the first placeIn this episode, I explore both. Featured on the show:  Free Webinar:  https://joyfuldvm.com/webinar

In this episode, I take a look at the UP SIDE of Imposter Syndrome in VetMed.Imposter Syndrome is really a state of believing that you're a fraud and that your accomplishments were more likely accidental than the intentional result of your performance.  I dig deep into the phenomenon, share why it’s both very common, and very normal, in the Veterinary profession.Topics include:What Imposter Syndrome isWhy Imposter Syndrome occursWhen Imposter Syndrome started for most of us Why VetMed provides abundant opportunities for Imposter Syndrome to grow The UPSIDE of Imposter Syndrome that occurs once you understand what’s really happeningI also share my thoughts on Self Confidence, Negative Self Talk & Self Belief, describe how emotions are created, explain the concept of Emotional Normalcy, and describe emotion’s physiologic impact. Resources mentioned in this podcast:Free Webinar:  https://joyfuldvm.com/webinar

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Joyful DVM Podcast! Joyful DVM is a personal development organization created to support veterinary professionals and teach the life skills traditional veterinary education is lacking. The Joyful DVM vision is to empower veterinary professionals and change the belief that relentless stress, anxiety, depression, and the high rate of suicide are inevitable consequences of VetMed careers.A different outcome requires a different approach and a different perspective. That’s what you’ll find each week on the Joyful DVM Podcast.In this episode, I share the history of Joyful DVM, my personal vet life journey, and why I believe we’re missing the mark when it comes to reducing suicide statistics in our profession.Resources mentioned in this episode:Free PDF > The Setting Boundaries Blueprint   https://joyfuldvm.com/boundariesFree PDF > The Alternative Careers Guide  https://joyfuldvm.com/jobguideFree Course > The Truth About Vet Med  https://joyfuldvm.com/freecourseCourse > Relief Vet 101 https   https://joyfuldvm.com/reliefvet101Program > Vet Life Academy   https://joyfuldvm.com/vetlifeacademy