Travel makes the heart grow fonder

It’s been a month since Jed and I returned from our three week trip to Japan. When people ask me “How was your trip?” I find it difficult to give a short and sweet answer that really captures how I felt about my time away in Japan and how it feels to be back. Upon reflection I really feel that travel, in general, makes the heart grow fonder in so many ways.

I always thought I’d love the whacky things Japan has to offer and I was absolutely right. One of my favourite things was petting a cute little hedgehog at a hedgehog cafe in Tokyo. Only in Japan, right?! The food was delicious and some of my favourite meals were in restaurants where no one spoke English and we chose a random dish by pointing at something on the menu. The people were friendly, polite and always offered to help. One Japanese woman at a cafe even told me my Japanese was good which is probably just because I said “hello”, “please” and “thank you” amongst my order in English.

Japan is rich in a variety of landscapes that can take your breath away and literally so when you hike the highest mountain in Kyoto and find snow at the top. In three weeks we visited seven cities and each of them gave us something unique to remember. We played in powder snow near Sapporo that felt like you were falling on a cloud when you couldn’t stay upright on your snowboard and then we rode around in the sunshine through volcanic ash admiring an active volcano in Kagoshima. We admired the snow covered alps from a warm onsen (hot springs) near Takayama and waved to Mt Fuji from the shinkansen (bullet train) as we sped by. We explored temples by day in Kyoto and enjoyed plum wine by night in the busy lit streets of Osaka and Tokyo. There was always something new to do and beautiful to see in the cities and off the beaten track.

Togetsukyo Bridge, Arashiyama, Kyoto

Three weeks felt like a month or two. It’s a strange feeling when time seems to slow down when you’re no longer in the same day-to-day routine in comforts of your usual surroundings. For us three weeks was the perfect amount of time to be away because in the last couple of days we felt ready to come home. I think that’s the sign of a good holiday when you feel refreshed, re-charged and looking forward to get back to what you had initially been so excited to temporarily leave behind.

Travel brought Jed and I closer together, I missed my friends and family, I miss cuddles with my adorable cat Peach (thankfully my housemate gave me cute photo updates), I missed my wonderful colleagues at work and I think I even missed work a little bit too. Melbourne is such a multicultural city with the best restaurants for any cuisine you crave. Japan has a very preserved culture, which is one of the reasons it’s such an enjoyable place to visit, but three weeks was a long time to go without our favourite cuisines like Italian and Indian so from time to time we dined liked western tourists #noregrets.

Travel gives you time to reflect on what you have and what you want. Perhaps for some people they fly back home wanting a completely different life to what they left, while others may want things to say exactly the same. So what are my main conclusions from my trip?

Initially spending 24/7 with your boyfriend who you currently don’t live with was a little challenging. We are used to missing each other and I always look forward to seeing each other when we’ve been a part even if just for a couple of days. But after a few days we figured out our new 24/7 dynamic and loved our time together. Now that we are back to our own routines we miss spending every single day with each other. Funny how things can change in three weeks. I’m so happy our first overseas holiday together was a success. Go team!

I am so incredibly fortunate to have the time and finances to travel overseas for three weeks with my best buddy. Before we left for Japan I was ready for a break from work. I hadn’t had a long holiday since August 2015 when I travelled to Vietnam for 16 days and that felt like a very long time ago. I don’t think I am alone when I say sometimes you just need a break from work and I think time away is important so you return more productive and enthusiastic. That’s exactly what happened to me. At times in Japan I thought “how fortunate am I to have achieved my childhood dream of becoming a vet and now I am working in a great clinic in Melbourne with some of the friendliest and supportive people I know”?! It’s a pretty great feeling.

Would I feel this way right now if I hadn’t spent three weeks overseas? Probably not. Being a vet isn’t an easy job. Some days it can fill me with joy and fulfilment and other days with sadness. My colleagues are more than that to me they’re my friends and we look out for each other. I missed them and turns out they really missed me too. I was excited to get back to work to see them but I was also excited to be a vet again. I was feeling ready to be a better vet than when I left and step up as a vet and a team member at work. I feel currently that I am doing just that. I’m enjoying challenging surgeries and enjoying interactions with clients, not to mention enjoying all the kisses with all the cute animals!

I am so grateful for the time I had in Japan with my bestie Jed. I am grateful for the people in Japan who were so kind and welcoming. I am grateful for my friends and family back home who missed me and I missed them. I am grateful for my colleagues, the lovely clients and the animals at work. Deep down these feelings are always there but sometimes in the stress of life they can be forgotten. Travel will always help remind me of what I’m so lucky to have.

Arigatou gozaimasu, Japan. Next stop? India 2018!

Those who CAN do, teach.

I never thought I could be a teacher. How could I TEACH when I feel that I hardly know how to DO?! This all changed only 12 months ago and it has been such an incredible journey since.

In 2016 I started having more involvement in teaching and mentoring a new graduate vet and vet nurses at work. This was no formal role but I was no longer the baby vet and had to step up. To my surprise I really enjoyed myself teaching colleagues about managing certain cases, or putting in intravenous catheters. I think my colleagues enjoyed it too. Sharing in someone else’s learning gave me a sense of happiness and pride. So I kept doing it!

Vets at work do kinder talks and I was asked to be involved. I love kids so of course I said yes! I go to local kinders and teach the children (and staff) about responsible pet ownership, safety around pets and that vets are like pet detectives who figure out what’s wrong with an animal so they can make it better. The children are always funny and adorable. Some of them want to be vets and some of them ask very interesting questions but mostly I am just told about their pets who have died and that’s okay too. Children just like to share, and overshare at times. This helped spark my passion for teaching. I decided to take it a little further.

My kinder talk helper “Monty”

The Coursera happiness course (refer to my Gratitude section) taught me that happier people volunteer and that volunteering makes people happier. Not only this but the more they volunteer the happier they are. That was it! I needed to volunteer. At this point I felt that all other important aspects of my life like work, my relationship with Jed and my health were going really well and I had a balance I was happy with. I had enough spare time to still do what I wanted plus volunteer. I was ready!

I came across the CSIRO program called Scientists in Schools which is designed to engage primary and high school students in STEMs (science, technology, engineering and math). It was perfect for me! This program marries my passions for teaching and for science. Plus it allows me to enjoy the classroom teaching experience without needing to quit my job as a vet.

As a volunteer at my paired school I present information related to what the students are learning in their biology classes. I use my applied veterinary knowledge to help teach what is at times some pretty dry material in an exciting way and show the students that what they learn in biology in high school allows me to do my job on a daily basis. I am paired with a girls only school and I am proud to be a young female scientist who can inspire these young girls to pursue a career in STEMs. Volunteering was very anxiety-inducing initially because in my role I become the classroom teacher and I had never done anything like that. I have to take the time to prepare my presentations, research the topic so I can handle the curve-ball questions the students ask  and of course be confident! Nonetheless, I embrace the challenge and it’s far too enjoyable to let a little stress get in my way!

I am continuing my volunteering role throughout 2017 and I always look forward to seeing the students and spending time with the science faculty. I am so grateful for the Scientists in Schools program and for the opportunities it has given me to gain skills and confidence in teaching and to be a role-model for young girls. I am grateful for the trust the teachers have in me and the support and encouragement they give. I really feel like I’m part of the team and the teachers must like having me around because I always get invited to morning tea! If you are a scientist, have a passion for teaching and want to volunteer (remember it will boost your happiness) please become part of this amazing program. You can find it here http://www.scientistsinschools.edu.au/

Tim Minchin (yes, the funny guy with crazy hair and eyeliner) said in his occasional address for a graduation ceremony at The University of Western Australia in 2013:

“Be a teacher. Please be a teacher. Teachers are the most admirable and important people in the world. You don’t have to do it forever, but if you’re in doubt about what to do, be an amazing teacher. Just for your twenties. Be a primary school teacher. Especially if you’re a bloke – we need male primary school teachers. Even if you’re not a Teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas. Don’t take for granted your education. Rejoice in what you learn, and spray it.”

Watch this inspiring and very honest speech to hear nine life lessons from Tim. It is worth the 18 minutes I promise you. http://www.timminchin.com/2013/09/25/occasional-address/

 

Lesson 1. You don’t have to have a dream

This life lesson to be a teacher really stuck with me. Even though I’m not a teacher I wanted to be one in some capacity. They say that “those who can’t do, teach”. Don’t believe this for a second! I believe that because I CAN do, I can teach. So I decided to be a tutor. I am not a private tutor but a tutor through a company called TutorBright. I had never done one-on-one tutoring before so feel I would be doing students a disservice and only create a lot of stress for myself to try and do this alone. Being a part of a team means I have the support, guidance and resources I need to be able to do the best job I can. I work full-time so it makes my life a lot easier when the admin side of things is taken care of and I can just focus on tutoring. Most other tutors are younger and are uni students who are tutoring casually to support themselves and are not a working professional like me who is just a big nerd and loves teaching! Nonetheless training was a great way to meet like-minded people.

Tutoring allows me to provide a student with my undivided attention, tailored content at an appropriate pace and safe environment to ask questions and be wrong. For some students this is what they need to succeed and it’s what they can’t always gain from a classroom environment. Being a tutor isn’t just about teaching a student how to do their school work but it’s about being a mentor too. This is what I find most rewarding! I was paired with a grade 6 student needing help with math. I was incredibly nervous to meet her and her family but an ice-breaker exercise allowed my student and I to bond instantly over loving pasta and Harry Potter! Ahh what a relief to have some common ground with a grade 6-er! Despite having the resources at my fingertips thanks to TutorBright, tutoring is time-consuming and an hour tutorial requires a couple of hours of my time to prepare. Making math exciting for someone who doesn’t like it and who is struggling is a real challenge but so far I think I’ve nailed it each time by playing to her creative side. We’ve only had seven lessons to date but I have already seen a significant change in her own confidence, her abilities and her enthusiasm for learning. The joy I feel after seeing her progress at each tutorial leaves me smiling for the rest of the day. This is why I do what I do!

How to make math fun when your student loves pasta and Harry Potter

I am grateful to be able to be a vet, a volunteer and a tutor. I am grateful that I have the support and encouragement from my vet workplace, the volunteering science team and TutorBright to pursue my passion for teaching and sharing my knowledge.

As Tim Minchin said “There is only one sensible thing to do with this empty existence, and that is: fill it. Not fillet. Fill. It.” and I feel I’m doing just that!

 

Missi’s Musings on 2017

Happy New Year everyone! I am so excited for the year ahead. But firstly, the beginning of a new year is a chance to reflect on the year that has passed

2016 was one of the most enjoyable and productive years of my life. I am so grateful for the experiences I had, my personal growth and the support and encouragement from my wonderful boyfriend Jed, my close friends and family.  Of course, like everyone, I had my ups and downs but there are a handful of highlights I would like share:

• Work: I feel like I have developed into a more confident and capable vet with the ongoing support from the wonderful team at work.
• Health: I lost weight (and have kept it off), joined a gym so I exercise regularly, I meditate and try to get out walking in nature when I can. I feel healthier both mentally and physically because of this.
• Love: Jed and I have grown closer and stronger. I have achieved so much with him by my side to encourage and guide me. I’ll add here that I adopted my beautiful cat Peach and she loves me just as much as I love her, I can tell!
• Volunteering: Being a Scientist in Schools sparked a passion for teaching and I have enjoyed encouraging students to engaged and pursue STEMs. It has been incredibly rewarding. Volunteering makes us happy and happier people volunteer. Try it!
• Tutoring: Becoming a primary school math and English tutor was a very late addition to the year but something I am so excited and proud to be doing in all that “spare time” I have.
• Travel: Jed and I travelled to Tasmania, Brisbane and Sydney to enjoy time away together. We hiked in Wilson’s Prom which was one of my favourite weekends of the year!

Holiday in Brisbane

Now to 2017. This year I am moving away from setting a new years resolution but going to focus on what’s important to me and develop sustainable , healthy habits.

Developing a list of what’s important has been a productive exercise. Knowing what I value helps create the foundations for my goals and aspirations for 2017. Writing a list helps remind me of who I am and the person I want to be.

What is important to me (in no particular order):

• Love
• Friendship
• Health (mental and physical)
• Diverse identity
• Being honest
• Challenging myself and stepping outside of my comfort zone
• Striving to be the best version of myself
• Family
• Adventure (travel, hiking)
• Teaching through tutoring and volunteering
• Writing/blogging
• Caring for animals, Peach included
• Having fun and laughing

2015 and 2016 were years of growth for me. I am stronger, happier and more comfortable with who I am because of the experiences I have had and the people I have met along the way. But there is always room for improvement. There are things I want to do a little differently in 2017. Creating a list of habits I want to develop will ensure I have ongoing goals to reach and not tick off an item on my list and simply move on. It’s long but I know it’s achievable with a little help from my friends.

Habits and goals for 2017 (again, in no particular order):

• Exercise 3 times a week: Last year I set my goal of running 10km. But once I did that I practically stopped running. I felt I had over done it. I realised from this that a one off goal doesn’t work for me. I need to focus on weekly short term goals to ensure I continue to exercise. Each week I am to do cardio, strength training and balance and toning exercises to create a well-balanced healthy me.
• Cook fresh healthy food: I love food. And I love cooking. Jed loves cooking too. We enjoy eating fresh, healthy food. As a “kangatarian” I am now focused on ensuring I maintain my iron levels as well as get enough protein. I feel great when I create new food and try new things. I have a few recipe books I’ve never used so it’s the year to start being a little adventurous in the kitchen.
• Don’t eat too much food in particular sweets and treats: Like I said I love food. Sometimes that’s the problem. I eat large portions and often eat snacks and lollies daily at work because they are there. But it’s only because they are in easy reach. I need to start exercising some willpower. Sugary snacks are tempting for an immediate burst of energy but we know they aren’t good for us. All in moderation of course, but I’ll start focusing on moderation.

Home-made (by me) vegan choc-cherry tart

• Floss my teeth regularly: I see the dentist every 6 months to have my teeth cleaned. In 2016 I had my first ever filling. It was small but it still happened. I need to ensure I take better care of my teeth going forward. I go through phases of either flossing my teeth daily or not at all. I need to find a happy-medium  Perhaps I’ll floss the days I exercise so I know at least I’ll floss three times a week. Better than nothing!
• Read frequently: Growing up I wasn’t much of a reader but that’s changed as I’ve gotten older and as my interests have broadened. I’m not one to read each night before bed and I don’t intend to be. At the end of the day I need to do what I enjoy and be me, but getting through the books I’ve wanted to read for some time and always say “I should read that” is an exciting challenge.
• Focus on being mindful and present through meditation: Recently I haven’t been meditating daily. Life just gets in the way. Again it has become an everyday or not at all kind of thing. I am aware of the benefits of meditation and feel great when I do meditate even if only for 10 minutes each time. Taking the time to do this several times a week will be more sustainable for me at this point then trying for 10 minutes a day and slipping out of the habit completely. Thankfully I have help of the awesome app Headspace to help.
• Be active in my learning at work: It’s very easy to ask another vet that’s around than find the information for myself. I know that if I took the time to find the answers on my own I will remember them. In 2017 I will be going to a conference which I’m looking forward to. I will focus on soaking up as much information as I can so I can come back and share my knowledge with my team, rather than being passive.
• Be a loving, supportive and fun girlfriend: Jed and I like trying to new things and pushing each other to be the best we can be. I plan on continuing to be a buddy to have fun and be adventurous with. I will remember to show him each day that he is loved and that I care, say through affection or even just a txt, and I will work on being open minded and a better listener.
• Be a present and loving Aunty to my beautiful niece Raffaela: Raffaela is my first niece and my goddaughter. She is just beautiful. She doesn’t live very close by but in 2017 I need to make the effort to be present and take the time to visit her more often to watch her grow.
• Show commitment and a caring attitude towards students I tutor: I’m looking forward to the challenges tutoring will bring and will ensure I continue to be organised and focused on their learning. Playing a role in children’s development, confidence and academic success is a privilege.
• Be an engaging and enthusiastic volunteer: No one wants an uninterested and lazy volunteer. The students really enjoyed my visits last year because it’s something a little different to the daily routine. I look forward to sharing my knowledge with students this year.

CSIRO volunteering

What do you hope to achieve in 2017? The daily habits I have created for myself already and those that I am working towards will help me be a happier, more successful and balanced person life-long. What better time than in my late 20’s to make changes that will last a lifetime?

Looking forward to the year ahead and sharing my thoughts with you all through Missi’s Musings.

With gratitude,

Missi

Giving away Gratitude II

I was in Readings Carlton wandering around the rows of bookshelves waiting for things to catch my eye. I saw a bright diary with sweet pink flowers on a soothing blue background with the title Everyday Matters 2017 Diary: A year of inspiration for the mind, body and spirit. Flicking through the pages I instantly felt excited and motivated for what 2017 will bring! I hope 2017 for me will be a year full of love, growth, friendship, fun and gratitude. So I bought one. Then I went back and bought another as a gift. I started to think about all my friends and family who would benefit from this but the list was too long so I had to stop myself before I bought every copy I could find!

Each month of the year has a different theme and some of my favourites include love, positivity, appreciation, empathy and adventure. There are daily quotes to help inspire and motivate you. There are challenges and questions that prompt you to reflect and encourage you to be mindful and present. Notes sections are a chance to keep your own journal too, which I really like. Perhaps it’s a place to write down what you learnt each month? Or what you hope to gain from the month ahead? The diary is yours to use to take control of your own happiness and mindfulness for 365 days.

I was so excited about my new diary that I started to do a little bit of research which lead me to the author of the diary Dani DiPirro. She is an author, blogger and designer living in Washington DC. She is the creator of the website Positively Present. We know ruminating on the past and focusing on the future doesn’t bring us happiness in the current moment (even though I’m guilty of both, but working on it!). Through positivity, awareness and self-love Positively Present helps us to be present, mindful and positive. Check out the website to learn a little more about Dani DiPirro and the great work she is doing to inspire others to live happier lives http://positivelypresent.typepad.com/

Keeping with my aim to be more grateful and express gratitude I contacted Dani DiPirro to say thanks for creating such a beautiful and motivating diary. Dani replied quickly and was excited to see her diary impacting the lives of others on the other side of the world. Now, with Dani’s help, I have the absolute pleasure of being able to give away an Everyday Matters 2017 Diary to one of my blog readers! Together we are excited to be able to help others make positive daily changes to their lives. What a great new years resolution?!

Do you use a diary to help organise yourself and plan your days but want something that offers a little more than just that? Comment below and tell me how the Everyday Matters 2017 diary will benefit you. It’s not just a way to jot down your work roster or upcoming events, but a way to inspire you and help you reflect on the positives every day of 2017.

With gratitude,

Missi

 

 

 

On Health

In September 2015 I was referred to hospital by my GP due to severe bleeding from my uterus. Awful right? It was as unpleasant and stressful as it sounds. It was the result of an uncommon side effect to a different contraceptive pill I had started three weeks earlier.

This trip to hospital was the beginning of my journey to start focusing on my health. I’m not getting any younger and I look forward to having a family of my own one day so I decided it’s time to take my health seriously. It was time to think about regular exercise, eating well and getting enough sleep. If I can get all those things right (well, right enough for me) then I am going to be a healthier person both inside and out and a better person all round because of it.

EAT HEALTHY

When I went to hospital a quick blood test and thorough check over showed that thankfully I hadn’t lost too much blood. I wasn’t going into shock and so I didn’t require an overnight stay on a drip. However, my blood cell count was low, my iron levels were the lowest they’ve been and my iron stores were virtually non-existent.

My iron stores have not been particularly great for the past 10 years so my iron levels didn’t have far to drop. I had been a vegetarian during those 10 years and although I tried to eat a complete and balanced diet I required iron supplements to help me along. I’ll be honest I could be very lazy when it came to taking a daily supplement and I’d go months without them. Now this is not to say all vegetarians, or more specifically all menstruating female vegetarians are iron deficient because that is not the case. We are all designed differently and there are a number of factors at play when it comes to iron deficiency anaemia.

Once I was given the all clear to leave hospital I was told that as a vegetarian I needed to take an iron supplement every day for 3 months and have my bloods tested again. I thanked the staff and left. I was so grateful for the help my doctor gave me by referring me to hospital and grateful for the staff there that looked after me. I sent them all a thank you card just to let them know. Expressing my gratitude felt great. I wish I could have seen their faces! I know how warm and fuzzy it makes me feel when a client at work shows appreciation for the care vets and nurses provide for their pets. I hope they felt warm and fuzzy too.

So I went out and bought iron supplements. Perhaps I missed a day here and there, but sadly my bloods showed little improvement after 3 months. It was time to make some big changes to ensure I was doing all I could to help my body recover.

This lead me to eat kangaroo. I now consider myself a kangatarian which was a little odd at first after 10 years meat-free. Through extensive research on the topic I found that it is an iron-rich option that aligns with my views on animal welfare and environmental sustainability. I began eating kangaroo 1-2 times a week and in early October this year I was due for my 6 monthly blood test check to see if things were moving in the right direction. I was excited but very nervous for my results. What if I had been eating an animal this entire time and it made no difference? What more could I do if my levels were still low? To my relief, for the first time in a long time, my bloods are perfect! I have kangaroo, time and a healthy body to thank for that.

Jed enjoys exercising, going to the gym and eating well which has been great for me too. He always encourages me to be the best I can and supports me in my career, my blogging and my health. Together we have gone for runs, long hikes and even tried hot yoga. Cooking together is always a lot of fun too. We aim to try new recipes and always eat fresh healthy produce. I have a bit of a sweet tooth so I’m a little cheeky and have more treats than Jed but it’s always in moderation, I promise. I enjoy cooking a lot more now than I did as a student and now I love making delicious home-cooked meals. As much as I like cooking, I won’t say no to dining out which is one of my favourite things! I’ve started a food diary too. Not for calorie counting or weight loss, but just to remember to be mindful about what I’m eating and to look back on to ensure I’m eating a balanced diet. I’ve only been doing it for a couple of weeks but it’s already helped me address some bad snacking habits.

All in moderation…

 

“Microbiome: Bacterial Broadband” is an article published in Nature online earlier this year. It’s a great introductory read for those wanting to learn a little more about the link between our gut health and digestion, immunity, and brain health, especially those suffering from IBS. There’s still a lot of research to be done but it’s very interesting to know that the brain and colon aren’t so far apart after all. Eating well makes my good gut bacteria happy but makes my brain happy too. Read it here http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v533/n7603_supp/full/533S104a.html

“The human digestive tract is host to a massive and diverse community of bacteria that aid digestion and strengthen immunity — and over the past decade, scientists have observed that the gut microbiota also interact with the central nervous system (CNS). As a result, mental health and even neurological development might both shape and be shaped by the composition and behaviour of these bacteria.”

 

EXERCISE

Growing up I always did one if not two sports. Sport kept me active, I met new people with a shared interest and it helped set a healthy school-life balance. Once vet school began I would go through phases of making time for exercise and eating right but hadn’t found a sustainable routine. Starting work as a vet took up a lot of my time and finding a work-life balance was difficult so I didn’t exercise much then either. Last year following a break up I ate out more frequently than I usually would do as a way to feel social and meet people. In August 2015 I went to Vietnam for two weeks and tried all the local cuisine and more of it than I really needed. Not making time to eat right and not exercise lead to bad habits, weight gain, the dislike of making an effort to cook something healthy and finding any excuse to avoid the pain of exercising.

I began the couch to 5km app a couple of days after Christmas last year. Jed had flown to Myanmar for a two week holiday so I had more free time than I usually would so there was no longer an excuse to not exercise.  The first few runs were tough. I hated them. In fact, I hated running three times a week for the first 3 weeks (the app trains you to reach 5km after 9 weeks). So I signed up for a 5km running event to ensure I stuck to my goal because I’m too stubborn to quit once I commit to something like that. I was over the moon when I reached my first 5km because it seemed so long in the making that I didn’t know if I’d ever actually get there. I treated myself to new runners that day! Running became something I looked forward too after those initial three weeks. It’s such a great way to kick start a day or relieve stress after a long day at work. I found myself saying “I just need to go for a run” when I was feeling stressed or anxious.

I  then signed up for a 10km run in July this year. I had never run that far in my life! As the seasons changed so did my opportunities to run because I wasn’t comfortable running in the dark after work (and I wanted to avoid the rain too) so I joined a gym. Me? A gym? That’s right! It was difficult for me to believe too, but I was starting to lose motivation at this point so needed a push. My gym has been wonderful! I love doing classes (mostly body balance, Pilates, body attack and body pump) because I feel motivated, guided and pushed to do my best (and not slack off!). I met with a PT to discuss my goals and how to achieve them which has been inspiring. I’ve been able to find something enjoyable but more importantly for me a routine that is sustainable so I can develop and continue healthy habits in the long term.

Feeling pretty happy with myself after my 10km run. Jed was there to cheer me on.

Not only has running and exercise in general been great for my physical health but it makes me feel better mentally too. Exercise releases endorphins so you can’t help but feel good! Sometimes it’s tough to motivate myself and I complain about needing to exercise but I know I will feel great afterwards and for the rest of the day so I do it. My mind and body thank me later.

Jed meditates for 15 minutes every morning. He reminds me frequently about the benefits of meditation. In the past I’ve told him that it’s not for me and I can’t quite get in to it. After our little getaway to Brisbane recently it didn’t take long for the relaxed and recharged effects of a holiday to wear off. I began feeling stressed and anxious about all the things going on in life as soon as we landed back in Melbourne. My realisation was that life will only get busier so I need to find an effective, easy and sustainable coping mechanism to help manage my stress levels. Crying, as most of you may know, is something I do pretty well but I need a little more than a stress-release teary long-term.

So I took up the “Take 10” challenge through the app “Headspace” to meditate for 10 minutes daily for 10 days. It’s guided meditation for beginners and it teaches you about the goals of meditation with cute animations. It’s a great app so check it out if you haven’t and you’re keen to give meditation a try. The first couple of days were tricky but I’m completed my take 10 challenge and have been meditating daily since. They say it takes 21 days to change a habit so I’m hoping once I reach my goal of 21 days, meditation will become part of my morning routine without much effort required. It teaches you to look at your thoughts as if you’re on the side of the road watching cars drive by: acknowledge them but don’t try to stop them or chase after them. I’ve looked forward to meditating and I honestly feel that I am less stressed starting my day and learning to better manage my over-thinking.

Headspace 

This is a great article about running and meditation as a treatment for depression I read in the New York Times which you can read here. I’ve now got running AND meditation covered for my depression prophylaxis. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/meditation-plus-running-as-a-treatment-for-depression/?_r=0

SLEEP

Jed is very much a morning person. I am not. But when he goes to bed at 9.30pm it isn’t much fun being awake on my own.In the past I would go to bed around midnight only to start work early in the morning. Jed is inadvertently helping me go to bed at a reasonable hour so I actually have enough hours of sleep (I aim for 7-8 hours). I’m slowly becoming a more productive person in the morning. It’s amazing how much I can achieve in a day when the morning is my friend!

When I’ve had a good sleep I feel alert and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me. I don’t feel like I’m waking up on my drive to work (very dangerous!) and I feel that I am more excited to be at work and look forward to the interactions with my colleges and clients. I’m less moody and have more patience when I’ve had enough sleep. Not to mention more productive and efficient, which is better for my furry patients! I haven’t fallen sick eg with the common cold as often this year and find I don’t need caffeine as frequently to get me going. These are some great side effects I’ve noticed from getting more sleep!

I do have a lot to work on so my next sleep challenges are winding down before bed and avoiding light from my phone and computer to reduce my alertness and avoid delaying sleep. I have the tendency to feel tired, get ready for bed, jump in to bed and play on my phone. Then when I’m sleepy after that I set my alarm and then try to go to sleep. That can take some time because I haven’t prepared for sleep properly. These simple but oh so difficult changes will result in better quality sleep so something that I need start practising.

I use an app called Sleep Cycle for my alarm. You rest your phone on your bed while you sleep and it records your movements and analyses your sleep quality. You can set your alarm wake up phase which by monitoring your movements will wake you gently with soothing music in the lightest phase of sleep. Since I started using this app late last year I have found my mornings are much more smooth and enjoyable than they used to be.

This link below is to a TED talk (20 minutes long) by Russell Foster a circadian neuroscientist on sleep. He outlines three main ideas about why sleep, discusses sleep deprivation and it’s effects on productivity and health, gives tips for sleeping well, debunks myths surrounding sleep, lets us know how much sleep we should get, and touches on the breakthroughs about sleep in relation to our mental health.

“If you have good sleep, it increases your concentration, attention, decision-making, creativity, social skills, health. If you get sleep, it reduces your mood changes, your stress, your levels of anger, your impulsivity, and your tendency to drink and take drugs. And we finished by saying that an understanding of the neuroscience of sleep is really informing the way we think about some of the causes of mental illness, and indeed is providing us new ways to treat these incredibly debilitating conditions.”

Watch it here https://www.ted.com/talks/russell_foster_why_do_we_sleep?language=en

SMILE

I’m now at a weight and look I’m happy with (I’ve lost 7kg to date). I’m in a regular exercise regime that doesn’t take up too much of my time and it doesn’t get in the way of all the other things I want to do. I eat healthy food as often as I can and I enjoy trying new recipes with my best buddy Jed (cooking is always more fun when I’m not cooking for one). I’m sleeping better and for longer which has boosted my energy and I don’t feel like I’m waking up on the wrong side of the bed morning after morning. I’m beginning my mornings with 10 minutes of guided meditation which gives me a chance to slow down, check in with myself and mentally prepare for the day ahead. Eating right, exercising and sleeping well isn’t easy but it’s worth it.

I’m grateful for the encouragement and support I’ve had along the way from Jed, my family, close friends at work and outside of work and staff at the gym who have all helped me to reach this point. I’m grateful for my health both physical and mental and fortunate to be able to say that. I hope I’ve motivated you to reflect on your health and lifestyle and aim to find the healthier you!

 

 

 

 

 

Giving away Gratitude

My inspiration to dedicate my blog to gratitude came from a number of sources and one in particular was the Five Minute Journal (see my “Gratitude” section). The Five Minute Journal is designed to help you begin each morning by expressing gratitude and thinking optimistically about the day ahead and to end each evening with finding the positives in your day no matter how difficult it may have felt.

For me the journal has helped me to be more positive, grateful and a happier person overall. I was so grateful for my journal that I wanted the team at Intelligent Change to know. To my absolute delight they were so excited to hear about the impact the journal had on me that they’re helping me inspire others to think positive and be more grateful too! With their help I have two beautiful copies of the Five Minute Journal to give away to my readers (but let’s take this one a time). Doesn’t get much more exciting than that!

Even Peach loves The Five Minute Journal

How do I try to have a positive attitude and be a more grateful person (apart from the journal)? Writing my blog and sharing my thoughts and experiences with you all, by exercising 2-3 times a week, eating fresh healthy food, by spending quality time with family and friends regularly, reading, smiling often and trying to say thank you as much as I can.

How do you aim to keep a positive attitude and remember to be grateful? How would the Five Minute Journal help you with this goal? Let me know and you may be the fortunate person who gets one of these journals sent to you from me, with the help of Intelligent Change, for free! If you miss out don’t worry, there will be another chance to get your hands on one of these journals when I next give away gratitude.

Check out the website and sign up to their wonderful weekly email newsletter to inspire you to be a more grateful, positive and productive person.

https://www.intelligentchange.com/

With gratitude,

Missi

 

On Whitley

Whitley is one of the 12 University of Melbourne residential colleges. I moved to Whitley in February 2008 at the tender age of 18 and a half to begin my tertiary studies. I had not lived out of home before so moving from my family home in country Victoria to Melbourne to live with 130 other people I didn’t know was daunting to say the least.

I lived at Whitley for four years in total and went on to be part of the leadership team in my final two years. Those four years were some of the best of my life and I’ve made some amazing friends who I am still friends with today. And it’s where I got the nickname Missi!

After a long battle, sadly Whitley has been sold and will no longer be the college that I know and love at the end of 2017 when it will become a different kind of student accomodation. I was incredibly flattered when I was asked to present the Valedictory speech this year and of course happily accepted to share with the students what Whitley meant to me then and now five years beyond. It felt that it was one last chance to give back to Whitley because I am so grateful for my time there, the people I met and the experiences I shared.

“D” is for Donut. It’s good enough for me.

It was difficult to put four years of memories into a five minute speech but I aimed to outline what I really love about Whitley and the most important things I learned from my time at college. Whitley has helped shape the person I am today and sharing this at the Valedictory dinner was a very special moment for me.

For fellow Whitleans, I hope you enjoy reminiscing and would love to know what made Whitley so special for you and why you’re sad to see it go. Readers who aren’t from Whitley who perhaps went to a different college or haven’t experienced anything like college themselves, I hope you enjoy learning a little about college life and the positive impact it can have on the overall tertiary education experience.

It was Melbourne Uni open day in 2007 when I first feasted my eyes on the donut. When I complained about there being too many colleges to look at in one day, my older brother, who had looked at all of them when he was in year 12, told me if I were to like any it would be Whitley. I had a tour, got a free coffee and a delicious warm cinnamon donut. Whitley had me at the free donut. I didn’t look at any other colleges after that and called it a day! Thankfully Whitley accepted me the following year.

The first six months away from home as an 18 year old are tough. I was very homesick initially and later on I found out all my friends were too but we were trying to be brave young adults and didn’t talk about it! In the first few months I had made up my mind that college wasn’t for me and I’d be moving out after my first year there. Then I went on to be a senior student in my third year and an RA in my fourth. And here I am tonight five years later. I clearly can’t get enough of this place but I was pretty disappointed that I didn’t get a donut on arrival. I’ll take that up with Margie and Genevieve later.

Whitley is all about having a crack, so much so we give out the HAC award to celebrate just that! You don’t have to be the best but you just have to give it a go and get involved! I did a lot of things while at Whitley that I never thought I’d be confident to do. I had never rowed before so once, and only once, I decided to wake up early and give it a try. Sure I caught a crab on my first attempt, almost hit myself in the face with the oar and decided rowing wasn’t for me, but I gave it a go! I sang with the other RA in my final year at Whitley a little parody we called “take your freshers out all night” which was very entertaining despite my not so angelic singing voice. I participated in two WARTS* productions and thankfully with a voice like mine I was always part of the chorus. There were plenty of “good idea at the time” moments at Whitley. In my first year I participated in the wig off. The wig off was a game played after the Easter holidays where participants wore a wig and if they were caught without their wig on they would be out of the game. The prize was a voucher from the shop and the glory of winning the wig off! It always became very competitive very quickly with people catching each other out after a shower, at a uni prac class and sometimes from hiding under someones bed or in their cupboard. I shaved off half an eyebrow to get back into the wig off because that’s the only way to get back into the game if you’ve been caught wig-less. I showed a lot of commitment that day but sadly lost in the end anyway and I was reminded of the game long after it was over while my eyebrow grew back. I have only had one WANC** since Whitley and it just so happened to be on the same cruise boat, which brought back a lot of fun memories shared with some of my college friends that I’m still friends with today.

Looking back I realise it wasn’t until I began veterinary science after my first two years at uni that I made uni friends. As a Whitlean who makes friends at uni when we have 132 other friends at home to keep us company? It’s difficult to study when you live with your best friends and for my first year I didn’t do enough of it but in my second year I found the balance. I’m sure most of you can relate to that! I had lots of cups of tea and trips to the reading room in swotvac. Lots of clock watching while counting down the minutes until Shop opened so we could all have a break. I had a great mentor who loved cats just as much as I did and he wasn’t even a vet! He went on to be my mentor even when I left Whitley and I felt the ongoing support that Whitley offers even outside these walls. I went on to become an external Whitley mentor myself for a first year vet student and we still regularly keep in contact. Whitley really is a gift that keeps on giving!

However I didn’t find the balance when it came to avoiding the fresher five, not with tiny golden rolls at Hall, swotvac suppers and dessert every night! When Margie asked me if I would speak tonight one of my first thoughts was “yes! Dinner rolls!”. I came for the roll, but I’ve stayed for the company.

The have a crack culture is one of the best things about Whitley. Whitley is a place to truly be yourself. You don’t feel like you have to be any different because Whitley is your home and you’re safe to be who you want to be. Whitley gives you the confidence to grow and develop academically, emotionally and mentally. Everyone is embraced for their similarities but also for their differences. It’s all of you who complete Whitley and fill the missing hole of the donut! That’s the beauty of Whitley and everyone in it.

You’ll realise later on that Whitley teaches you to be considerate, understanding and patient when you share a communal space with others. They’ll be people in your workplace that you don’t quite mesh with and there will be confrontation you’ll have to resolve whether that’s at work, uni, in your share house or in your relationships. Whitley helps you develop the skills to tackle those difficulties. Taking on the role of Senior student and then RA was an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Being a leader helped me to be a support for others and reach out to people in need and taught me how to be a team player, delegate tasks and resolve conflict. These skills have been invaluable to me now as a vet working within a team in a stressful workplace. Think of Whitley as the best test run to the big outside world that you’ll ever get! And you’re lucky because not everyone gets this incredible college experience like you all have. 

Coming to Whitley was one of the best decisions I’ve made to date and many of my fellow Whitleans agree. To those leaving this year, I wish you all the best for your future endeavours. You may not know it now but you’ll soon realise what it means to be a Whitlean even after you leave. I hope you all look back on your time here with the same fondness that I do. To those staying for Whitley’s final year in 2017, be mindful and accepting of others, study hard and have a crack! Let’s give Whitley the farewell it deserves and remember that even after Whitley is gone, the donut lives on in all of us!

*Whitley’s Annual Residential Theatre Society (WARTS)

**Whitley Annual Nautical Cruise (WANC)

On Romantic Love

There is a lot of love in the air at the moment so it’s the perfect time to write about my favourite topic. Finally! I’ve recently attended a beautiful wedding on a stunning sunny day, celebrated the one year anniversary with my cutie pie boyfriend Jed and we are off to Brisbane next month to help celebrate the love of two of our other friends on their wedding day.

I’m currently reading Alain de Botton’s latest book “The Course of Love” which was a very thoughtful surprise gift from Jed. He knows me well! Alain is very straight to the point when it comes to love. We find ourselves upset and frustrated when we expect something different or something better. So the aim is to try to not expect too much from our romantic relationships. Talk about honesty! Two people of different upbringings, different experiences and different emotional needs cannot be expected to have fallen in love at first sight and live happily ever after. Love just doesn’t work like that. Afterall we are all a little bit crazy in our own ways. Love takes work! At times it can take lots of it. It’s reassuring to know that I’m not alone in my joys and frustrations when it comes to romantic love and learning more is helping me to be an understanding and patient partner. I saw him speak earlier this year about love and this podcast from Triple J’s The Hook Up is a short and and not-so-sweet overview about his views and advice on love. It’s a great listen! http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/media/s4503504.htm

Alain de Botton

I’m a Romantic, much to Alain’s disgust I’m sure. It’s taken years for me to realise this and to admit it. But I do upset myself at times because I think this way emotionally about love. Logically I understand that love isn’t a fairytale but emotionally I want to be a princess and live in a big castle with my prince charming!

Let’s rewind a little. My strong interest in learning more about romantic love began early last year. I made a very difficult decision and ended a five year relationship. This haunted me for a very long time. Not because I felt like I had made the wrong decision but because I had hurt someone very dear to me and knew that I was the one responsible for his heartache. Our worlds were intertwined for half a decade and for that to end is a shock, even if I did see it coming. I couldn’t make sense of it at the time but looking back now realise that I was grieving for this loss.

I’ve read a lot, and I mean A LOT, on the topic of love, relationships and breakups. This has helped me work through what I was thinking and feeling at that time but didn’t understand or couldn’t quite express it. As difficult as it was, I truly believe that I created short term suffering for us both so that we could move on from something good to find something great with someone else. I learned that sometimes people grow apart and fall out of love with each other. You don’t need an excuse of infidelity or abuse to walk away. I broke the heart of one of the kindest human beings I’ve met but I would have hurt him more if I stayed if I couldn’t give him my very best and the love he deserves.

Banksy’s Girl with a Balloon

I met a lot of new people last year after that. Some I cared about and some I didn’t. Some cared about me and others didn’t. It never seemed to match up and I couldn’t quite find what I was looking for. And then I met Jed. I met him through one of my best friends from uni. I trusted my his judgement when he told me “You’ll like Jed. He’s the strong quiet type”. Jed was just that. And my friend was right; I did like him! It wasn’t love at first sight. He wasn’t my type to be honest but there was something about him that just seemed to fit. It was difficult at the beginning. Very difficult. I was used to a relationship and he was used to the single male lifestyle. We moved along at different times: sometimes too fast and sometimes painfully slow. Then after our long roller coaster ride, we landed on the right track. We didn’t give up on each other and I think it’s because we both knew that what we were creating was worth fighting for.

Jed balances me out quite nicely. I’m emotional, flamboyant and a chatter box. He’s calm, rational and a good listener. But we’re both the right amount of silly! We communicate our love in the same way and encourage each other to be the best versions of ourselves without being pushy. I think we’re onto something pretty special here!

Jed and I looking classy

 

Love has a funny way of making you feel on top of the world in one moment and can make you feel like you’re sinking the next.

It’s not always easy at the time to be grateful when love ends and it’s difficult to not feel like it’s a failure. But for me, those five years were far from failure. I would do it all again for the exact same outcome because I learned how to be a better partner and friend and learned a lot about myself. If that experience lead me to the happiness I feel today then I am grateful for the highs and lows shared between him and I for all those years.

Jed and I have made it through a number of challenges but that’s not the last of them. There will be plenty more to come as we grow together and as our love grows for one another but we’re ready to face whatever the universe throws at us. I’m grateful for Jed’s ongoing love, support and patience with me and with us. He loves me in the way I want to be loved and he’s helped me love the person I’m becoming. I can’t wait for what’s to come!

On Money

September is shaping up to be a month full of big expenses! I’m moving house tomorrow which in itself is a large cost, my car is due for a trip to the mechanics and car insurance is due. All of this on top of my usual monthly expenses makes September the most expensive month of the year for me thus far (and I hope the months don’t get more expensive as we go along).

For me, thinking about money can often be quite anxiety inducing and perhaps some or many of you feel this way too. I’ve always been quite conservative with money and I think it’s because my mum was. She had to be being a single mother of three! When I moved out of home to Melbourne at 18 and a half years old I became completely financially independent. That was tough. I worked on a casual basis all through uni which made my work-life-uni balance, well, not very balanced at all. Once I started working full time (let me remind you all, vets don’t make the big bucks like everyone thinks we do) I found it very difficult to move away from the mindset of a struggling student. I often find myself unable to justify certain things even now because I never would have even considered them in the past!

Money is a funny thing. We all choose to spend and prioritise our money in different ways. It can make for some awkward conversations, debates between partners and many internal battles. My research on the topic has taught me that no only can the way we think about money impact our happiness and well-being but money can also affect our happiness and well-being too.

In the Coursera course “A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment” I learnt about better ways to think about money (refer to my Gratitude page to learn a little more about this free online course). One major point which seems so simple when we think about it is that money itself physically, so that $20 note you have in your wallet, actually holds no real value to us at all. It’s just a dirty polymer banknote how could it? The value comes from what that $20 can buy us. Sitting and watching the figure in your bank account grow doesn’t bring us happiness but what it can buy will impacts us.

Another important point covered in the course is to choose happiness over money. An easy example is say I go out for coffee and want something sweet too. I love caramel slice so perhaps I’ll treat myself to that. However, there is a deal for a coffee and a muffin that is cheaper. So I choose that instead. Thing is, I don’t even like muffins that much! I’ve let money dictate what I choose so I chose the cheaper option over something I would actually enjoy. I’ve done this numerous times when dining out and I’m trying hard to change my way of thinking. Of course choosing happiness needs to carefully considered when we are talking about significantly more money than a coffee and muffin!

Spoilt for choice at High Tea

 

I try to remind myself to think about money in these ways. I try to not get too caught up on the amount but think about what is it that I want and can the money I have provide me with that?

So what do I want from money? I want to be able to live comfortably, be healthy and do things that make me happy.  For me that is pay my rent, pay my bills on time, pay my car related expenses, have private health insurance, have a gym membership, look after my cat Peach, travel often, dine out, buy new clothes, catch up with friends and surprise my boyfriend with gifts from time to time (if he’s lucky!). These are a few of my favourite things!

The big question is “Can money buy you happiness?”. A US study published in 2010 was conducted to ask exactly that! Now even though the scientist in me wants to get carried away lets keep it simple. You can analyse, critique or do whatever you like in your own time. This is the link to the article for those of you who want to know a little more http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2944762/)

The paper begins by separating happiness into emotional well-being and life evaluation to determine the affects of income appropriately. Emotional well-being refers to your daily experience of happiness- experiencing joy, affection, sadness, anxiety, stress etc. Life evaluation refers to our thoughts about our lives- is it the best or worst life for ourselves. Participants partook in a questionnaire and the impact of income on both emotional well-being and life evaluation were assessed (refer to the article for the details). An important note is that life evaluation is measured on a logarithmic scale so that if someone on minimum wage were to get a $1,000 pay rise this would have a greater impact on their happiness than if a millionaire were to receive an extra $1,000.

The results? An annual income of $75,000 USD and over satisfies our emotional well-being. Beyond this there is no improvement in our emotional well-being. However, an income less than $75,000 can exacerbate emotional pain for example ill health, divorce and loneliness. A lack of money brings not only low emotional well-being but also low life evaluation. However, life evaluation continues to increase as yearly income does and does not satiate at $75K. Greater than $75K provides us with the resources to create the best lives for ourselves.

So what does this all mean?

I feel that our individual life evaluation is influenced by status and perception. I, like many others, suffer from “status anxiety” and am always comparing myself to others. Alain de Botton has a great short doco that you can find on YouTube about status anxiety that is certainly worth watching. What is important but often difficult to remember is that the way I think about my life comes down to finding value and worth in myself and my own achievements and not in the comparison of others. As my income increases over time then I expect my life evaluation will too which is great but I know that will be because my status will change. I need to remind myself to reflect more on the positives in life and focus on becoming the best version of myself to ensure my life evaluation is close to being at the “best life for me” end of the spectrum.

Life evaluation

Emotional well-being and how we feel on a day to day basis will plateau at a set income when basic desires and needs are met such as health care and being able to enjoy free time in the company of others. To be honest, I don’t feel I need that amount of money to meet my emotional needs but I can appreciate how it can alleviate a number of everyday stressors and concerns. I currently am able to have what I want from money. Of course having a little more would make things easier because I would have more money to travel, more money to spend on catching up with friends and more money to spend at my favourite store Dangerfield, but for now it’s enough. It is a comforting feeling knowing that I can be happy with less.

Emotional well-being

Despite how busy and stressed I currently am and how many expenses I have coming up I have a lot to be grateful for.

Growing up I never felt like I missed out or was restricted by finances. My siblings and I always did one or two sports each. I did ballet for many years which took up a lot of time and money but Mum made that happen. We got to go to school camps and Mum paid for my three week high school trip to Italy in year 9. She’s an amazing woman. I really don’t know how she was able to give us so much but I am forever grateful.

I’ll be moving house tomorrow and will be living with a dear uni friend of mine.We are both vets which won’t only mean we’ll talk about lots of gross things over dinner but we’ll understand and can open up about the stress and the difficulties of our jobs. The stress of moving and all the organising I’ve had to do has been overwhelming at times but a move is always great when it’s over. I still have a lot of things to sell and sort through as I unpack but I’m excited to de-clutter my life and feel a little lighter. I’m living in the world’s most liveable city so I’ve got to be very happy with that! ! I’ll also be living closer to Jed which means more cuddles!

I love my car “Gloria”. I know I always take my car for granted but it is a relief to be able to afford to buy a car (I bought her last year) and afford ongoing costs like my loan payments, services, petrol, insurance and any unexpected costs along the way. It allows me to get to work each day, to visit Jed and catch up with friends plus make the long trips back to country Victoria to visit my mum.

I can afford my gym membership and look after my physical health which helps with my mental health and overall well-being.  I can socialise regularly with friends and I can travel whether that’s interstate or overseas. If I’m saving for something big (like a trip to Japan in March next year with Jed!) then I do need to say no to certain things and I’m okay with that. Short term sacrifices for a long term gain are worth it!

It’s all about putting it into perspective! I’m not saying that our anxieties surrounding money aren’t valid if someone else is worse off than us. How we feel is important no matter what someone else is experiencing. For me at this point in time my current income allows me to have the things I need but also the things I want (in moderation) and I need to remember this when money starts to worry me.

It’s time to start choosing happiness over the figure in my bank account. I can’t wait for my next piece of caramel slice!

Additional acknowledgements:

• Brain pickings. Visit to learn more about how to think about money (and lots of other things!) https://www.brainpickings.org/

 

 

 

On work

I have always felt drawn to animals and caring for them. Probably because they are so damn cute! I loved my pets growing up and was always busted by mum for petting animals I shouldn’t like the blue tongue lizard I saw basking in the sun outside one afternoon.

I decided I wanted to be a vet in primary school initially because of this love for animals. My passion for science and a keen interest in how things work came a little later and grew as I moved through high school. The great thing about being a vet would mean that I could help animals and their owners with my knowledge of science! It was the perfect combination so I focused my efforts during school on doing well so I would one day be a vet.

I moved to Melbourne after high school and completed two years of a Bachelor of Science at The University of Melbourne before I transferred into the Bachelor of Veterinary Science beginning in 2010. My six years at uni were honestly the best years of my life. I’ve made life long friends, I pushed myself to step out of my comfort zone by trying new things, and it gave me the freedom to grow and to be confident in who I am.

Vet school wasn’t only fun and fluffy animals; it was also very difficult and took up nearly all of my time and effort. My family, friends and boyfriend at the time suffered because of that because I always said no. I said no because I chose to say no so most of the stress and pressure during uni was self-inflicted. I’ve always put a lot of pressure on myself. I don’t know why. My mum has never been pushy about my career and success and neither have my siblings so it all came from me internally.

Being a vet was a dream I had been working towards for a long time. I think I was too afraid to let it slip away from me so I put it first and always put it first. Looking back I know I didn’t need to stress as much as I did. I didn’t need to cry and panic myself as much as I did over every exam or assignment but that’s just how it was for me because that’s who I am.

I remember the moment I read my email confirming that I had passed all my final year exams so would be graduating in December 2013 and I cried with relief. Finally all that stress would be over after working so hard and always saying no. I couldn’t wait to say yes to friends and family once again! I felt like I was ready to start working and being a vet. How hard could it be after the difficult years of vet school?

Graduation day December 2013

Beginning work as a vet was an incredibly steep learning curve and I felt university didn’t prepare me for a lot of what I faced in general practice. I thought I knew what to expect but soon felt proven wrong. I believe uni taught me how to think like a vet but did not teach me how to be a vet.

First and foremost we are advocates for animals but we have to be so much more than that! But it’s tough and sometimes it’s really tough. Vets work long hours and overtime is a regular occurrence plus we work weekends. We need to talk about money and be understanding if an owner can’t afford something while trying to do the best we can for their pet. We need to remain calm and professional when a client is taking out their frustrations on us. We also aren’t paid as well as everyone thinks so despite a many years at uni and a massive HECS debt, no vet is in it for the money.

Vets have an unlimited pass on a daily emotional roller coaster.  We feel the joys of seeing a family hug their pet who is now better when you discharge it from hospital, then watch someone say their last goodbyes to their beloved pet as we put it to sleep, and then we find our smiles again as you meet a client with their new puppy or kitten who they’ve already fallen in love with and hope you do too!

A vet at university said to me in my final year “Vet isn’t just a job it’s a lifestyle choice”. I didn’t quite understand what she meant at the time but I certainly do now.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) outlines that recent Australian studies show that vets are four times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. Other health professionals including doctors, pharmacists and dentist are around twice as likely than the general population to commit suicide. Common causes of stress for vets include long working hours, interpersonal relationship issues and dealing with difficult clients. To add to that I believe other factors such as isolation, lack of support and constantly managing people’s emotions and expectations contribute to the mental and overall health concerns of veterinarians today.

The AVA does offer free counselling and mentoring programs (unfortunately only to members) but also has a number of sources for vets struggling with mental illness as a product of work or when work is a contributing factor. There are also sources for colleagues and friends seeking guidance to help someone in need.

As I’ve said before, I’ve never considered myself to be an unhappy person (read my Gratitude page) but I have my down days and sometimes weeks. I am incredibly sensitive and emotional so I can really struggle if a patient isn’t progressing how I had hoped or expected or if a client is unhappy with me. I have questioned multiple times if vet is for me or if it’s for me long term and I’m sure that question will pop up again from time to time.

In saying all of this and amongst all of the struggles of life as a veterinarian I am still grateful upon reflection and need to remind myself to be so. How else will I get through the difficult days?

Peach can always make me smile

I have wanted to be a vet since I was in primary school so to achieve this goal and be working as a vet in Melbourne helping animals on a daily basis is pretty amazing. I look back on vet school with so much fondness not only because it allowed me to become a vet but for everyone I met along the way.

I have the best team a girl could ask for. My wonderful colleagues constantly support and encourage me. You know who you are!  I have cried my heart out on multiple occasions at work and am always comforted with kind words, a hug and some chocolate. I feel appreciated and valued plus we have a lot of fun.

I am challenged. Sometimes I hate this and often do at the time because I feel overwhelmed and feel like my responsibilities as a vet are beyond me. However, once I persist and with the guidance of my team, I am proud of what I’ve achieved and learnt. I am constantly growing in my job and improving each day.

No day is ever the same. I get bored really easily. I can’t imagine the same work day in and day out. I get to stand up at work so I’m not stuck sitting all day and I get to be do a little bit of everything. I am a surgeon, a dentist, a dermatologist, an endocrinologist and an ophthalmologist just to mention a few! No animal, no client and no presentation are ever the same. Remember, animals don’t read the textbook!

I spend most of my time at work so it’s important to me that I find it enjoyable and rewarding. For me, the best part about being a vet isn’t really the vet stuff. Sure tricky medicine cases and surgery keep it interesting but that’s not what fulfils me at the end of each day. The great things about being a vet are the wonderful people I work with, the beautiful clients who are grateful for the work we do, the relationships I get to develop with clients over time, and getting to kiss all the cute animals (much to my mums disgust!).