Look Within and Be your Best Self
May is Mental Health Awareness month and a great time to spread the word about the resources available to support not only your mental health, but good overall health as well. Personally, I believe we should be focused on our mental health and well-being every day and not just for a month out of the year. Check out these resources, save /bookmark them, and share them with your family, friends, and colleagues. You never know when you or someone you know may need a helping hand.
Just as the various dimensions of well-being – i.e., physical, emotional, social, financial, and environmental – can change and impact your day-to-day health, your personality can also influence your well-being. The more you know about yourself, the better equipped you are to set a course to be happy and healthy.
The Big 5:
Over the years, there have been a number of theories about personality traits. Many current researchers cite the “Big 5” core traits as OCEAN or Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism.
Openness invokes creativity, conscientiousness is thoughtfulness, extraversion is sociability, agreeableness is kindness, and neuroticism often involves sadness or emotional instability. The Big 5 personality traits are broad foundational concepts that help to define us, and most of us exhibit a combination of them and/or fall in between them. Where do you fall in these categories?
Be You:
Acknowledging and understanding that your well-being needs are fluid, dynamic, vary based on your culture, age, etc., and vary from person to person is important. This insight can help to formulate a strategy to best meet your wellness goals as they change over time.
Did you know that your personality can adapt as you age and live through new life experiences? For example, an introverted child can become an extroverted adult, and we as adults may adapt certain aspects as responsibilities and circumstances change. There is always the opportunity to hone tactical skills to become more open and kinder in our interactions with others.
Being aware of these foundational traits can help you to successfully manage different situations and to interact with those around you. Knowing who you are can also help point you in the direction of similarly aligned Individuals, situations, health habits, and even occupational paths.
Be Prepared:
Being open, conscientious, and kind are personality traits that align well within the veterinary world. The ability to remain calm under pressure, be empathetic (put yourself in another’s shoes), communicate openly and clearly and be able to manage high stress or difficult decisions are all in a day’s work here at Suveto.
Incorporating self-care into your daily routine is key. Being cognizant about your own health is just as important as caring for your patient’s health. You can’t deliver your best if you are not at your best. Here are a few tips:
- Get your annual preventive care (covered at 100% under most medical plans)
- Do things just for you
- Take a technology break
- Get outside
- Call a friend
- Hug your pet!
Win, Win!
Looking for a fun way to have some healthy “me time” as well as to give back to the community? Join our Challenge and have fun!
• Let’s Vet Together, Let’s Move Together! Help us raise 10k for NOMV again this year | May 1st-31st
Staying positive and exuding an enthusiastic energy can really help get you through a tricky situation or an extra-long “when is this shift going to end” type of day.
Fun Fact: Does it ever seem like your beloved pet has a personality that makes him utterly unique? Of course, they do! Animal researchers have found animals from nearly every species of animal (from spiders to birds to elephants) have their own personalities with preferences, behaviors, and quirks that persist throughout life.
I am so grateful and in awe of the hard working and amazing veterinary teams here at Suveto. Well-Being is one of our foundational pillars, and our colleagues walk the walk each and every day.
Check out our Support page and remember, you are not alone, there are national and local resources available when you need them, including:
