QUARTERLY BEAT / DECEMBER 2022 ///
very little to do with competence; and our worth doesn’t need to be proven because we are worthy and whole, just as we are. Once we become aware of these stories – particularly those propelled by the automatic negative thoughts that rule by default -- we can counter-balance them with neutral-to- positive thoughts that restore our focus, enthusiasm and energy.
a particularly busy time in clinic, we may need to consider aftercare (leveraging social support and amplifying restoration behaviors) or even professional care. Reaching outside our professional networks to secure the support, care, and expertise of others can shift our perspective, jump start new
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Summary of the Powerful Minds Women’s Leadership Retreat
self-regulation routines, and provide us with the support we need to restore a sense of balance and well-being. Maximizing alignment. Aligning everyday tasks, pop-up projects, and the wellspring of requests with our core values helps us to manage demands with integrity. Integrity is both grounding and energizing, crystallizing activities and relationships that are “mission critical” while also anchoring us in situations of moral distress. Asking a few critical
Engaging in self-regulation and recovery. Learning to implement the power of pause (taking deep breaths, and finding moments of stillness and quiet throughout the day) can help our nervous systems regulate more effectively. When we pause, we also gain clarity with how we need to use our gas pedal (focus and energy) and our brakes (soothing and calming) on
JUSTINE LEE, DVM, DACVECC, DABT Co-Founder / Medical Director, VETgirl
• Be intentional and add it to your schedule to take care of yourself • Set boundaries on emails • You don’t have to solve every problem • Slow down, fill your cup, and keep filling it with things that light your spark Pending future sponsorship, we hope to continue this women’s leadership retreat for several more years. Because it’s so important that we pass these important lessons on to our colleagues – male or female – as we lift up our field of fellow veterinary professionals. Here, Jeannine Moga’s own thoughts and summary of what she discussed at our Powerful Minds Conference on translating Wellbeing into leadership.
On November 18-20, 2022, the VETgirl team hosted its inaugural Powerful Minds Women’s Leadership and Wellness Retreat, presented by Royal Canin. This by-invitation- only event was designed to connect 50 prominent women veterinary leaders in Tucson, Arizona, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Royal Canin, AcharaVet, Banfield, Ceva, Boehringer Ingelheim, and PetDx. Speakers included Dr. Rebecca Heiss, PhD and Jeannine Moga, MA, MSW, LCSW, while I helped moderate the Q:A panels. The goal of this women’s leadership retreat? To spark new ideas and teach attendees techniques that foster leadership development while leaving attendees with a refreshed outlook on how to better balance our busy lives in veterinary medicine. Attendees had the opportunity to “pass the torch” and nominate the next generation of women leaders. Personally, just being able to attend a digital-free conference with some amazing women leaders was my favorite part of the conference. As one attendee stated, being a woman in veterinary leadership is very “lonely,” and to have the camaraderie of others was refreshing.
a day-to-day basis. When we feel extra “leaky” and aren’t sure why, that’s often a signal that a boundary of time, space, relationship or task needs strengthening. What if self-care loses its impact? When we are experiencing periods of acute stress, such as when we are pushing project work to meet a deadline or are powering through
questions, such as “What am I unwilling to give up?” and “What tenets do I live by, even when there’s no reward?” enables us to avoid (or minimize) anything that might dilute our sense of purpose. Ultimately, grounded leaders prioritize values over expectations.
By Jeannine Moga, MA, MSW, LCSW
TRANSLATING WELLBEING INTO LEADERSHIP Grounded leadership reflects the idea that how we live is how we lead: if we are feeling unwell, distracted, or overwhelmed, that is likely how we will “show up” to the people around us. Being grounded, or rooting ourselves is the relationships, activities, and values that make us feel like whole and healthy human beings, is what makes learning, growth and leadership possible. And we can grow deep roots by intentionally leveraging these wellbeing strategies: CULTIVATING AWARENESS. The stories we tell ourselves matter! Sometimes we get caught in what are often called ‘collapsed distinctions’: like the idea that I can’t be of service unless I am sacrificing myself, that competence equals confidence, or that I must always hustle to prove my worth in order to be worthy. But those collapsed distinctions rarely reflect an accurate picture of what it means to be in a service profession. On the contrary, self-sacrifice often impairs our ability to serve others from a healthy place; confidence has
WHAT ELSE DID I LEARN? • Focus on one thing • Schedule in a break • Only handle it once (OHIO) • Have a shorter to do list • Practice 1 minute meditation
• Reconnect with people outside of the veterinary world • Don’t solve other people’s problems - that’s not your role • Start a gratitude journal • Focus on being refreshed and energized • Be intentional. Pause. Reset. • Be hopeful • It’s lonely to be a woman in leadership. Find your tribe, brag buddy and accountability partner • There is this community out there... Reach out
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