How often have you gone through the same thoughts? Over-analysing why the outcome of your thoroughly considered treatment plan was unsuccessful or why the patient died. We go through conversations we have had with clients, colleagues, friends and loved ones; and overthink the different ways in which it could have ended, had you reacted differently in that situation. We regret decisions and beat ourselves up over how we or others responded, we go into the overthinking loop and very often, we are controlled by our thoughts. I wanted this cycle of overthinking to change and start accepting my cur ..read more

Often we have this perception that we need to do things completely differently if we want to stay relevant. We need to be better than our competitors, think more creatively, and stand out so that our clients would choose our practice over the one down the road. Or we need to try a completely different medical or surgical intervention to solve a complex case. It can be stressful when the patient does not respond to the normal treatment protocol, leaving no choice but to become innovative. How do you know when and how to innovate? What is cutting edge in veterinary medicine and what would be fro ..read more

The concept of “Falling versus Failing” is undoubtedly an intriguing one, perhaps even a slightly intimidating one; but as veterinary professionals, this concept is something we probably should be familiarising ourselves with – for the sake of our professional development, for our personal growth and for our own career satisfaction. Like inspirational speaker Simon Sinek says, when it comes to choosing falling over failing, the first thing we need to do is change the language we use. Nobody wants to fail. No one sets out to fail. And certainly no one likes to fail. In fact, just the word “fail ..read more

As veterinary professionals, we are taught the technical skills needed to become the best practitioner. Clinical skills that equip you to solve complicated cases and better patient care. However, if you are put in a managerial position where you need to lead a team, how can you best do that so that your team feels genuinely supported?  In our first #PlatinumBookClub review, I want to introduce you to Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead. She deals with the four principles that managers need in order to build the organisational culture that supports authenticity, people bringing their full selves t ..read more

We often have these big dreams, but we procrastinate as the end results seems nearly impossible. We hide behind “just being realistic” and “not wanting to be disappointed” that we end up playing it small. We put ourselves down because we have experienced too much failure in our lives to still believe that it is possible to achieve the seemly impossible goals. But too often, we are the only ones standing in our way of achieving greatness! I decided to break the goals down into categories and each month, I will introduce 1 goal that you can follow along with us. For January, it is goal setting ..read more

We all love the “lose 5kg in 2 weeks” diets, fitness bootcamps, juice cleanses, quick ways to make money without the hard work… or if you don’t love them, you have to admit that you have tried them. Desperate for a quick fix. Somehow, we choose to sprint, always increasing intensity for results. But as Newton reminds us: “What goes up must come down.” There is a reason why quick fixes like a 2 week holiday when you have completely burned out does not “fix you”, why the 5kg that you just lost yoyo’s back and why after 1 month of intense exercise you are not suddenly the poster child for fitness ..read more

So, on 1 September, I started my #100DaysOfHappy… The Challenge: Every day for 100 days, do 1 thing for your body, 1 thing for your soul and 1 thing that makes you happy. I also wanted to do 1 handstand push up by the end of it…did I reach every goal – uhm, no! (Rather, not yet!) But here are some learnings from the journey: I’ve never meditated this much in my life… definitely a habit to continue. I use The Insight Timer App and it has been life-changing! Attended an Inner peace yoga retreat – the real magic happened… I learned coping mechanisms, peaceful practices and how to let g ..read more

Just over a month ago, we said goodbye to a very dear colleague, who (after 20 years) made the difficult decision to leave our hospital in order to embrace an exciting new challenge. The weeks and days leading up to her departure were filled with memories and stories, both good and bad, as she reflected on her time at our hospital. Sharing these moments together was so special. Not only did we laugh (a lot) and cry (a little), but it also really highlighted the fact that being a veterinary professional is truly a gift. And every veterinary professional has their own unique story. Which is exac ..read more

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