Author: Jennifer George

In my earlier years of practice, I decided to take on a physiotherapist position in long-term care. After working in a clinic setting, I was unsure of how I would manage and enjoy working in senior’s health and chronic care. I did not know what I could offer my patients to further improve their functional independence.

I soon realized how much I would grow to appreciate the value of my own independence and in doing so, the opportunities I could bring to help residents become independent in their own home. I began to see long-term care as their home, not their final destination in function and life.

This growth and restorative approach came with a lot of support but equally a lot of push-back and conflict from front-line staff. Despite this, I persisted because I deeply felt we were doing our residents and staff good. My purpose was not only to “give physio” but to enrich lives, and the only way I knew to do that was to guide residents in reclaiming independence in their best capacity possible.

Our physio team worked diligently with residents, including their family and substitute decision makers, to optimize their function. Residents who had required mechanical lifts for years to transfer in and out of bed were progressing to standing again. Residents who had limb paralysis or contractures for years were using devices to help them be more mobile and comfortable. Residents were also beginning to fall less without the use of restraints.

Eventually, staff started to come around and we all worked together to discover ways for our residents to be more independent in their own homes again. Communication between staff became more open and fluid and a greater sense of community started to bloom. Suddenly, everyone was on the same team as our purpose became more collective.

No matter where your patients are in their journey, there is always something you can do to facilitate more independence and growth. You know that even the smallest gains are life-changing to your patients. If something is not within your scope, you can refer to other providers who can best serve their needs in that moment. After all, the whole point of chronic care is to provide care over an indefinite period of time that facilitates growth and recovery.

I have been consistently active on social media for a couple of years now. It started with my own health transformation journey and in sharing that part of my life with others, it evolved into a desire to inspire and empower others to take responsibility for their lives and create the positive change they were seeking.

As much as you have gotten to know me over this time, I have also gotten to know many of you through your supportive comments, messages, chats, etc. I never realized how many people I have touched by simply sharing my own joy, success, and challenges. It humbles me everyday and I am blessed to be able to influence others in a favourable way.

The truth is though, is that it is not easy to show up to my life everyday as it appears on social media. What I share is just a glimpse of perspective, enlightenment, and connection in that moment. It takes work on my part to find the best in every day. There is a lot of self-resistance that I have worked through over the years to get to this point and I still have a long way to go in being completely unapologetically me. I believe there is a negative perception of social media when it comes to “oversharing” and the fakeness of it all, however, I have a different opinion on this simply because I know why I continue to share. I think social media is an escape (and a distraction) for many of us who are tired of seeing the world falling apart everywhere we turn. I find comfort in knowing that I have the power to follow who or what I want and consequently, am influenced by it in a way that serves my spirit. So, when I see a share that spreads success, happiness and love, I am all for it. I follow it closely. I learn from it. I model it. It inspires me to think if they can, I can. I do not assume it is fake or people are pretending to be someone they are not. I think it is safe to say we all have something going on in our lives that affects us negatively, just because some choose not to share that part, it should not be assumed that they are pretending to be happy. Perhaps in that one moment, they are, and they felt safe enough to share it with you because they thought it could help you too.

Social media can be used as a way to foster genuine connections and create inspiration universally to generate a wave of change. By supporting others, we support ourselves but by sabotaging others, we sabotage ourselves. To those of you who follow me because of the inspiration and value I bring to your life every day, I thank you. For those of you who I follow and share the most random of things, I thank you. Keep sharing and be you. Be unapologetically you. You help me too.

I am the type of woman who wears headphones in public so as to minimize interaction with others because the thought of casual talk makes me feel awkward and lacking confidence. Not to mention, the anticipation of small-talk situations can deter my focus and drain my energy. I can recall growing up as a child and avoiding sitting with company by seeking solace in the downstairs living room. I simply enjoyed my own company the most. I used to think it was because I was “shy” but now I realize it is because I am introverted by nature.

The challenging part about being an introvert is that I absolutely cherish community, connection, and I have an eagerness to learn about people as humans. It almost seems counterintuitive when I think about it: how can I create meaningful relationships when the thought of human interaction in its most basic form makes me feel uneasy? There are a few different ways I have learned to use the strengths of my introversion to get the best out of communicating with others over the years. These include: empathy, listening, self-care, and purpose.

By empathizing with others, it has helped me to be more open. I can transform any kind of small talk to a full in-depth conversation if there is common experience and mutual desire for solutions. Empathy is what connects us human to human, irregardless of titles or rankings. By empathizing with someone, you are validating his/her sense of being and creating a sense of belonging, which thereby lightens the load of any conversation.

I also seek to listen to others with the intention of understanding them fully. This gives me time to reflect and I often find through listening, people will reveal who they truly are. This practice of non-judgement allows us to connect authentically without feeling compelled to do so and creates a safe space for engagement.

As mentioned above, I still relish in my own company regularly. This seems to energize me to clearly communicate with others everyday. I try to do things that will benefit my health and vitality on a daily basis so as not to feel drained by the compounding effect of interactions. If you think about it, we have hundreds of conversations in a day verbally and in other expressive forms. This can create a lost sense of self when you are “on” all of the time. If you only have an hour to yourself in your day, you are best to fill it with what makes you feel empowered and at peace. For me, this includes: exercising, listening to music, writing, going for walks, or listening to podcasts. Interestingly, as an introvert, I do not crave quiet. I crave movement. I crave melody. I crave expressive creativity. If you do not have an hour to yourself, then I strongly recommend you wake up an extra hour early or goto bed an extra hour later to devote time to your vessel.

I have always said that I am an “introvert with an extroverted love for humanity.” For as long as I can remember, I have always felt like it was my purpose to serve others within my capabilities. I have come to find that where my introversion excels is in leading others to solutions to improve their growth, health, and well-being. As an introvert, I seek meaningful connections and there is nothing more meaningful than having the opportunity to help transform someone’s life. When I am in such a space, my ability to communicate becomes more creative, free-flowing, and passionate. When I am living in my purpose, I speak from my heart, and that is a language that everyone can connect with.

To my supporters,

I am sorry for not having written in awhile. However, I must be honest and say that I have not felt inspired to do so. Although I am active daily on social media, I have not felt the desire to sit in front of a computer screen and project my thoughts through my fingertips.

This does not mean that I have nothing to share, in fact, it is quite the opposite. I have had so much on my mind lately that through it all, I could not find a way to bring value to you.

Until now. It suddenly clicked that writing has always been just what I needed to organize my thoughts and when I stopped thinking about the technicality surrounding it, my inspiration re-surfaced. I have to practice releasing the fear that what I say or think might be offensive, get brutally criticized, or simply be rejected in its entirety.

I most recently posted a poll on my Instagram (@bestobsessed) regarding what you would like to see more from me: health/fitness hacks or inspiration. It was a small sample with most votes going toward health/fitness hacks. So I have decided to share both:) You see, I do not think one can get “healthier” or more “fit” if they lack the inspiration and the mindset to see themselves there. I also believe that success is NOT a lonely road, and in fact, we all need support in order to empower each other to live our best everyday.

Lately, I have found myself coming into contact with health and wellness enthusiasts who are at a crossroads in their lives. Either this crossroad is health-related, fitness-related, spiritually-related, wealth-related, or inspiration-related. They have the foresight to know that if they continue to stay where they are, nothing will change and as a result, nothing will change. Yet, they also have the insight to know that if nothing changes, then they will continue to remain in a state of conflict and unhappiness.

So, what gives? My belief is that they lack the ability to make the decision to go for what their soul desires when it desires it. I can point this out because I am the exact same way. They overthink (is this for real?), they over-complicate (how is this going to work for me?), they self-sabotage (what if I cannot maintain success?), they worry about what others will think (what will my partner think?), they feel selfish (if I do this for me, who will suffer?), they fear failure (what if I let my coach or family down?), they lack trust (am I just being sold something?), they lack belief (is this too good to be true?), and they doubt themselves (who am I to think I can actually do this?).

One way I have been able to make a decision to go for what I want is by realizing that there is no wrong decision in life. There is always an opportunity to change directions and that if this is the right path for me, my health and level of excitement will reflect it. If you have read my previous posts, you would know that I believe health and wellness is in everything. For instance, if you are not where you want to be in your career, it will show itself in your physical and mental health.

Which brings me to my second point, always take care of yourself first. I know it sounds cliche, but at the core, it is absolutely necessary. Take a moment and reflect on the course of your day. Did you wake up rushed and over-stimulated by everything going on around you or did you wake up peaceful, feeling in control of your time? If you could wake up uninterrupted every morning, what would be the first thing you would do? Then do it.

Another way of making a decision is by realizing that you do not have to have it all figured out before you even start. This just creates overwhelm and paralysis. Sometimes I think we spend too much time getting ready to get ready that we never take the necessary action. Instead, make the decision, then take action daily with good faith in the process.

Finally, another way of making a decision on what it is that you want is by surrounding yourself with those who want the same thing and are in action to get it. It is impossible to align with something if most people you surround yourself with do not understand it or do not believe in it. It is natural for humans and relationships (of all kinds) to evolve, and either everyone grows together or apart.

If you get excited by something or someone who shares an opportunity with you to be yourself, grow yourself, free yourself, and live your best life, then make the decision to go all in! The best of things in life are truly as they seem, and when you just decide, breakthroughs happen and life flows more effortlessly. ❤️