10 more lessons I’ve learned as an OT.

Life is just a collection of moments. You could use these moments to make as much money as possible, cure diseases, watch more Netflix than anyone else, or maybe achieve enlightenment. There is no right or wrong way to spend these moments but collectively using them with purpose is important for a good quality of life.

I want to spend my finite moments with a sense of purpose to help others and to build and maintain strong relationships while sustaining a strong mind and body. I want to do this all while finding happiness in the simplicity of life for as many healthy years as possible.

It would be nice if some days that my life goals just happened but it not only takes effort, it takes a consistent amount of effort in order to create habits and routines.

Enter non-negotiables.

Doing consistent daily habits and routines that are important to you (non-negotiables) builds momentum and with this momentum, the moments of your day are on autopilot toward your tropical destination. These days of positive habits fashion the life you want and “suddenly” you are happier and more fulfilled. As Annie Dilard said,

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. “

Back in 2014, Greg Lukianoff asked Jonathan Haidt to help him solve a riddle. For as long as Lukianoff had worked in academia, it was college administrators who were the ones initiating the call for campus censorship, however, in the last couple of years the pendulum had swung and now it was the students demanding more censorship. Campuses now use "safe spaces" and "bias response teams" and they're hyperfocused on things like "microaggressions" and "trigger warnings."

What happened?

They partnered up to write one of the most popular articles ever to be published by The Atlantic, The Coddling of the American Mind. They seized the opportunity to expand on this idea and wrote The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure.

I was intrigued by every door they opened up throughout this book. While I pull some more interesting points related to parents as takeaways below, there are plenty of other actionable takeaways for those who aren’t parents as well.

I highly recommend reading this.

Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. This chronic neurodegenerative disease is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function, including memory, thinking, and judgment. It’s commonly held that there’s no effective way to treat or reverse Alzheimer's disease, but then comes this new approach.

In his book, The End of Alzheimer's Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at Any Age, Dr. Dale Bredesen offers a new approach to preventing and reversing Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Bredesen is a neurologist and neuroscientist who has been studying Alzheimer's disease for over 20 years. Using evidence-based research and anecdotal data from the patients he works with, he has developed a comprehensive yet individualized program that addresses the underlying causes of Alzheimer's disease, rather than just the symptoms. The program identifies 36 metabolic factors (micronutrients, diet, exercise, hormones, sleep, stress management, supplements, etc.) that help to prevent and reverse Alzheimer’s.

What I like about this approach is that it’s functional, that is it addresses the root causes without using the bandaid approach. Since Alzheimer’s is progressive, a diagnosis tends to come well the disease has already made the brain its home and the onset of those early stages are often preceded by years and decades of poor, but preventable, health habits. The approach used in this book, therefore is a way to not only to treat and reverse Alzheimer’s but as a way to minimize the risk of cognitive decline and other health concerns as we age.

Three takeaways from Think Again by Adam Grant. Learn about the surprising impact of household conflict on kids, what the best negotiators do, and the case against valedictorians.

In my role as an occupational therapist (OT), I engage with individuals facing some of life's most challenging moments. These individuals often find themselves in both physical and mental adversity. However, they partner with me to regain a measure of independence, address vulnerabilities, and strive for personal growth.

Each encounter with these resilient individuals offers a valuable opportunity for self-discovery. The impact of every moment is profound, dependent on the depth of my engagement. Initially, these experiences are intriguing insights or "a-ha" moments, but over time, they coalesce into discernible patterns and transformative lessons that I can apply to various aspects of my life. Here, I share the first installment of the lessons I've gleaned as an occupational therapist.

Uncover the Indicators of Emotional Resilience: Embrace psychological flexibility, foster a growth mindset, establish robust boundaries, shoulder emotional responsibility, maintain a long-term perspective, validate yourself, and commemorate your progress. These cues are your guide to building resilience and gracefully overcoming life's hurdles.