sdsays-blog

[sdsays-blog]

[sdsays-blog]

Shoes That Grow: Guy Invents Sandals That’ll Grow 5 Sizes In 5 Years To Help Millions Of Poor Children

[sdsays-blog]

For stressed out students.

[sdsays-blog]

Arepa recipes are where it’s at.

[sdsays-blog]

© | Masateru Ikeda (Do not remove credits)

[sdsays-blog]

© | Masateru Ikeda (Do not remove credits)

[sdsays-blog]

 26 Time Management Hacks I Wish I’d Known At 20       |      Part I

[sdsays-blog]

Always find time for the things that make you feel happy to be alive.

Sonny Franco (via onlinecounsellingcollege)

[sdsays-blog]

Much tired. Very sleepy. Big news!

Accepted to my top choice smp today! Looks like we’re making a move this summer! I’m really ready to start school up again!

[sdsays-blog]

Compassion requires that we have good personal boundaries—that is, that we are able to advocate for and defend our own needs. If you can put yourself in someone else’s shoes and view them with kindness and understanding even if their needs are contradictory to your own, but you can’t assert or advocate for your own needs, you risk allowing them to take advantage of you, or becoming codependent. Compassion lies in viewing someone in the best possible light, understanding their needs, looking upon them with kindness—all without allowing them to manipulate, control, or abuse you. You have to be able to understand and even value someone else’s perspective without becoming a doormat.

Compassion - More Than Two

^^ so important

[sdsays-blog]

Update!

Master’s Program Updates: 1 acceptance, 1 waitlist, and 2 pending. Am I leaning towards the school I was accepted to because I love it or simply because I was accepted??? WHO KNOWS. Road tripping next week to figure it out!

Life Updates: Heart broken because I have to go with a friend who rescued a shelter puppy and now has to bring her back because she’s too much work. It’s the responsible thing to do, but it breaks my heart. (insert rant that I am refraining from because it was an honest mistake and these things happen) On a happier note, tomorrow might be the day I adopt my fur-panion! My friend’s situation really made me stop and deeply consider if I’m ready to handle a cat. Although I don’t know where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing in the next decade, I believe that I’ll have the means, the lifestyle, and the support to give this pet the care they deserve. I’ll try to check back in tomorrow to let you know how it goes!

[sdsays-blog]

Patience

The path to medical school is certainly not a sprint! I keep thinking I’m close, but every time I do that I find myself moving further away.

I need to participate in either an SMP or a grad program to be more competitive for med school apps. That means 1-2 more years until matriculation into medical school.

It seems like a lot! I wish that it would feel less daunting. But if I could choose to be pursuing anything at all right now, it would be this goal. I am doing exactly what I need to be doing to get to where I want to be. One of the biggest challenges is not to compare myself to other people who are a couple of paces ahead of me. (Another challenge is to not let other people’s - parent’s - perception that I am wasting my time and not going to get in get to me).

I started this process less than 2.5 years ago. So far I’ve completed a different major, took all the prereq’s, maintained a sense (if not a complete being) of well roundedness, and have taken the mcat. I’ve done well - even though it is not as well as I would have preferred.  I’m competitive (ish) and could apply, but I know that I am not ready. Doing an extra few years is stressful but manageable! Good things take time and this is probably one of the best things could be doing for my life.

Patience and perseverance - these are what I’m working on strengthening at the moment.  Not grades, not mcat scores, not research or clinical work or saving the world. I’m taking time and working on saving myself (sorry it is late and I’m corny). I think it is important to better who I am not only for myself, but also because it will be ME taking care of people one day. It takes an academic and clinical education to be a good doctor, but what is so often forgotten is that behind every action is the actual human behind the MD/DO. I’m advising myself to love and strengthen the person that will become the doctor and not only the things listed on an application - things I have made the mistake in believing are the only things that are important.

[sdsays-blog]

Just back from spring break!

it was unreal!! we had so much fun! and I got accepted to a two year grad program while on the trip! back to reality 😊

[sdsays-blog]

not mad about life today!

[sdsays-blog]

"Unbroken" - Laura Hillenbrand

Wow. Incredible read. Amazing story.

The few moments I spent not reading this book the past few days I spent thinking about it. Beautifully crafted, Hillenbrand did a phenomenal job recreating Louie's life. The story never lulled, and I felt that I was speed reading to keep up with Louie in this fast paced memoir. I can't wait to reread slowly because I am certain there are things I missed!

[sdsays-blog]

I just wanted to say, I just read one of Brene Brown's books, too (Daring Greatly) and have been working through some of her ideas to deal with my own anxiety and sense of self (in addition to starting to see a therapist). I've started recognizing all kinds of patterns in my thinking (turning a simple ask into a blown-out "must make this the best thing I have ever done") and it's been really helpful to turn down the perfectionism. Hope it's going well for you!

Hi, thanks for reaching out! I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you! I have a lot more work to do sorting out the concepts she goes over in this book, but am looking forward to reading Daring Greatly. It is nice to hear from someone else who has benefitted from her work!

[sdsays-blog]

"The Gifts of Imperfection" - Brene Brown

I have a boatload that I want to say about what I am learning through this book and author yet I don't know where to begin. All of it is painfully personal and none of it is sorted out in my head yet.

So I will just start but forgive me if my thoughts are jumbled.

I have been seeing a counselor (we'll call her Barb) recently to help work through my anxiety and depression. Upon the first appointment, Barb labeled me as a perfectionist. As a premed student, I thought that I was using this power for good instead of evil, but apparently, I'm not. Apparently, my need to perfect most aspects of my life has lead to an "inability to start something without knowing the result" thereby preventing risk taking and leading to chronic procrastination. I'm working on accepting "good enough" but it is a concept I feel like I am designed to work against.

Dr. Brown writes, "Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best." At first I thought this was doubtful. But then I read another quote - "Healthy striving is self focused - How can I improve? Perfectionism is other-focused - What will they think?"

Oh. I see.

She continues to write: "Perfectionism is, at its core, about trying to earn approval and acceptance." To be perfect is to be free of flaws, to be free of flaws means (to me) that there are no negative judgements about me to be made. Approval and acceptance obtained, essentially. Approval and acceptance by who though? And why do I care? A short list that comes to mind as I write this would be: parents, friends, med schools, and professional environments.

I'm starting to get it. The anxiety, the fear, the self doubt. I'm never going to get off the ground if I halt every three seconds to contemplate what someone else is going to think of me if I fail. I will never reach my goals if I dwell on the fear and consequences of failing before I have even tried. I'm starting to get it, but its not easy to change the way I've trained my mind to behave. It will be a process of unlearning and relearning, but I'm hopeful and eager to try!