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OCTOBER 2021 |
VOL 5 ISSUE 2
In this issue:
- Emotional Wellness
- Financial Wellness
- Houston Happenings
- MS4 Advice
- SPOTlight
- Tasty Recipes
- Thrive at UT
- UTHealth Wellness Connection
- Wellness Strategies
- You're Not Broken, You're Human
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The Well is a monthly newsletter that serves to
positively impact the well-being of the McGovern student community
by highlighting a myriad of wellness-related content.
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Click here to share your thoughts on The Well!
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What is Emotional Wellness? |
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Emotions. We all have them, we don’t always understand them. And to be perfectly honest, they don’t even seem to be super helpful in a lot of situations. Yet in the context of being able to cope with life’s ups and downs, emotional wellness is a crucial part of our overall health. The relationship between our emotions and our physical health is robust enough to where a good mental state has been linked to healthier weight, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of heart disease. And you most likely knew this already, but emotional wellness is a huge part of our mental health too. Just being emotionally healthy alone does not guarantee you a life of happiness. What it does do is provide clarity, in being able to recognize emotions and stressors and then being able to effectively manage any of those negative feelings. It’s a lot easier to just get swept away in all the challenges that life brings and the emotions associated with those challenges. Having good emotional wellness will provide a game plan for when bad things or feelings may happen. The good news about emotional health is that it’s a skill that we can all improve upon; there are many ways to practice it and we encourage you to learn more about the ways in which to be more intentional with your emotional wellness.
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You’re Not Broken, You’re Human |
They say comparison is the thief of all joy, and oh, are they correct. I compare myself to others so frequently that one would think it was a medical school prerequisite.
Can I do 500 Anki cards in one sitting? What about late-night studying? And everyone seems to be getting the correct answers to these Poll Everywhere questions . . . but me.
Block 1 was quite discouraging initially, but then I remembered an important metaphor my father used when encouraging me as an undergraduate. We were on a busy Houston highway on the way home, and anyone who’s been in this situation knows that speed plays a major factor in the tolerability of the ride. Many cars were zooming past us. They probably saved a few minutes, but at what risk? We went a little slower, kept up with traffic just enough to be safe, but still maintaining control of our car. What would saving a few minutes on your commute profit you if you were to end up hitting another car, or getting stopped by a traffic officer?
I see now that we are all cars, in one way or another. We all have differences that make us vital—not obsolete. Trying to be something we’re not comes with serious consequences and can damage our integrity.
Some of us are younger models, used to the latest technology and Anki add-ons, while some of us prefer textbooks and hand-written notes. Others have more ‘gas mileage’ and can post up at the LRC for hours on end without taking a break or stopping for fuel, while the rest of us must break up our studying by the hour. Many of us are still learning how best to navigate this new road, and that’s okay.
You’re not broken. You’re human. You are functioning exactly like you were designed. Appreciate that and stop trying to force yourself to perform like you have it all figured out. No one does. This is medicine.
My fellow medical students, take care of yourselves. Don’t be scared to prioritize your well-being. As much as you study material, learn to study yourself and see how you can best optimize how YOU function as a student.
This medical school journey is a ride. Don’t lose your joy by comparing yourself to someone in another lane.
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Houston weather is beginning to cool a bit and with slightly lower temperatures on the horizon, outdoor offerings may now be viable options for hanging out with friends/family or maybe just taking a breather for some alone time. Whatever your comfort level is with the outdoors, there's something for you to explore!
Buffalo Bayou Park | 160 acres of greenspaces on the west-side of downtown. Whether you’re into kayaking or going for a stroll, this park has an abundance of options. Within the space you can visit Eleanor Tinsley Park and catch an aesthetic view of the Houston skyline. Or, treat you and your pet to a visit to Johnny Steele Dog Park.
Evelyn’s Park | A peaceful space for peaceful strolls. This park also has a calendar of events, a variety of offerings from fitness classes, to farmers markets, and food trucks.
Houston Zoo | The Houston Zoo is a nice getaway to the outdoors if you’re looking for a study-break half-day (or full day!) that’s close to the TMC and within the vicinity of Hermann Park.
Levy Park | If you want an outdoor place to study or read a book, this park offers an outdoor reading room (with a piano!), multiple events, and even a small dog park.
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Figuring out what steps to take to improve our emotional wellness can be overwhelming. Where do we begin?
There is no one size fits all. Like any skill, emotional wellness takes patience and practice. Luckily, there are resources and strategies at your disposal to help make your emotional wellness practice personalized and effective. Below are a few strategies that may be particularly salient, some you may already use.
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Gratitude: The act of giving thanks for something can be a powerful tool for managing stress and facilitating a positive mindset. Try writing down a few small things you are grateful for each day. Even writing down a few trivial things like being grateful for coffee ice cream can improve your mood!
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Positive self-talk: We tend to be overly self-critical which can harm our emotional resilience and psychological well-being. Verbalizing positive affirmations to yourself like “I’m doing an amazing job” and “I’m smart and capable - I can handle this” can mitigate feelings of anxiety or stress. If you do find yourself being self-critical, try re-appraising some of those thoughts into positive statements.
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Mindfulness: Medical students are stressed about evaluations, residency, student loans, and more. Sometimes, we need to take a moment and exist in the present - that is mindfulness. Mindfulness does not necessarily mean meditation. Going on a nature walk or even cooking can be a form of mindfulness. Look at this graphic for a strategy to take a little mindfulness break!
Sometimes, it can feel like there is (ironically) pressure for us to take time for self-care, having to add yet another item on your to-do list. Self-care should be a source of enjoyment, not stress. You don’t need to engage in all the self-care strategies at once. Start by picking one that would bring you the most joy and try doing that consistently. Wherever you may be on your journey of emotional wellness, please know we’re always here to support and encourage you!
Additional resources for emotional wellness:
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Emotional wellness involves expressing your feelings, adjusting to challenges, coping with stress, and adapting to change and difficult times. Throughout medical school there are constant challenges and milestones to overcome. During these times, it's important to check in on our emotional wellness. Strategies for improving out emotional health include getting quality sleep, having a strong support network, practicing mindfulness, and reducing stress. By practicing mindfulness, we can become more aware of our feelings, accept them, and experience what is going on in the present moment. Some tips to be more mindful include meditation focusing on taking deep breaths, as well as going for a walk or practicing mindful eating. Managing stress is another important aspect of emotional well-being. To help reduce stress it is important to exercise regularly; at least 30 minutes a day has been proven to boost mood and reduce stress. Additionally, eating healthy, nutrient rich foods and obtaining quality sleep are both vital for our well-being.
| Amier Haidar, MS4
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Hot Topics
Click on a topic for tips on tackling the issue
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10.01 | Houston Scream Fest
every Friday and Saturday night throughout the month
10.02 | 7th Annual Creole Heritage Festival, MidTown Park
Enjoy live music, food, and more!
10.02 | Halloween Movies in the Park, Memorial Park
10.02-03 | Parker McCollum, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
10.15 | Coffee and Canvas, Painting with a Twist
10.23-24 | Jonas Brothers, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
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Financial Wellness Resources |
Financial Wellness @ McGovern
- https://med.uth.edu/admissions/wellness-resilience/financial-wellness-2/
Student Financial Services
- Newsletters | https://www.uth.edu/sfs/newsletters-and-information/
- Website | https://www.uth.edu/sfs/
- YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrdQD4Kixa5GUWD_Lu8YHRQ
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| Ombudsperson
Are conflicts or concerns causing you undue stress? Contact the Office of the Academic Ombuds. Robin Dickey, PhD, MA, LPC, is available as a listener, mediator, and coach for all members of our UTHealth family. Make an appointment today! https://www.uth.edu/evpara/academic-ombuds.htm
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Thrive at UT is a free app designed to enhance UT student well-being and help busy students live their best life. Thrive helps you make small changes in your routine that have powerful long-term impacts. |
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| UTHealth Wellness Connection |
UTHealth Student Counseling Services has introduced a blog bringing mental health and wellness resources to you. Click the link below to read the latest! |
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Brought to you by the McGovern Student Wellness & Resilience Committee
Questions, Comments, or Contributions to The Well,
please email MS.Wellness@uth.tmc.edu
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