Catie S.
Photo provided by Catie S.
If you’re reading this, it’s ok to slow down.
Recently, I have found myself in many conversations leading to a collective appreciation for finding beauty in slow days. Although these chats with friends coincidentally occur at the start of a new year when buzzwords such as mindfulness and self-care plaster our social media accounts and news outlets, I developed comfort in friendly agreements that slowing down is valuable. I even instituted a new rule for my self-proclaimed “word of the year” tradition to encompass not one word but an entire phrase, to use the words “let go and let be” all year long. Not to be confused with a lack of motivation, slow days are about finding peace in presence. As a graduate student, I constantly fight the urge to think about checking off the next item on my to-do list, adding another idea to my swirling thoughts, and assessing approaching deadlines. While these stressors will continue to build, one of my greatest responsibilities is to use self-compassion and give myself grace when some of these tasks take more brain power or stamina to complete. I remind myself that these moments of stress are still a privilege. I also remind myself that life goes on and slowing down to chat with my long-distance friends over FaceTime, planning a visit to spend time with family, or celebrating another day’s end by watching a sunset on the beach shifts my perspective in a positive direction.
Slowing down is anything but a novel idea, and I can find plenty of songs endorsing this thought. However, I believe the reminder to slow down is repeated for a reason. It’s easy to sometimes feel left behind in our spinning, instantaneous world from the moment we hop out of bed in the morning (usually after a few phone scrolls, which I hope to exchange for a few deep breaths in this new year) to the minute we close our eyes after intricately planning our next early morning. An element of slowing down encompasses the awareness to let comparison go. The feeling to keep up with ourselves is often matched with the feeling to keep up with how others are living their lives as well. By taking time to reflect on personal accomplishments and ounces of joy amounting to moments of happiness, we transform our focus from competition to compassion. We respect others’ journeys because of contentment with our own.
As I already did earlier in my writing, I often refer to music or lyrics that underscore my current thoughts. I realize the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as my mom also took the chance to remind me of a song that crossed her mind while listening to my various tangents about this writing opportunity. “Feelin’ groovy!” She emphasized over text while I was juggling new semester assignments in a humming library. She was referring to Simon & Garfunkel’s song “The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy),” a ‘60s tune reminding us all to do exactly what I needed at that moment. To slow down, look for some fun, and maybe even change my 2025 phrase/word of the year to groovy.
Catie S., Second Year Occupational Therapy Student
Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received for maintaining your mental health?
A: Utilize the outdoors as much as possible when maintaining your mental health. When I was younger and feeling overwhelmed, one of my brothers used to suggest taking a quick walk or a quiet moment outside to reset. Years later, I find myself returning to this strategy when I want to refocus my mind or take a step back from a packed schedule. I am incredibly inspired by research continuing to emerge about the benefits of nature-based therapy, and I believe the outdoors holds many benefits for finding balance and positively impacting mental health in subtle and significant ways.
Q: How have you learned to cope better throughout occupational therapy school?
A: I held the belief that once I completed my first few semesters of graduate school, I would perfect and feel confident in my coping strategies. Now, I know coping strategies evolve and one of the most foundational concepts is to learn how to modify approaches when a strategy is not serving your current situation. I also appreciate simplified coping strategies, such as using The SMILE Scale. This is a wellness behavioral tool designed by Dr. Laura Vater who is an oncologist, speaker, and writer strongly advocating for many aspects of patient, clinician, and student clinician wellbeing. When I feel stressed or tense, using a tool like The SMILE Scale encourages a quick but comprehensive personal check-in with my sleep, exercise, breath, relationships, and nutrition.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self regarding coping and mental wellness?
A: It is ok to feel overwhelmed and it is more than ok to ask for help. I used to want to immediately fix any negative feelings with a smile and a sufficient “I’m fine!” However, breakthrough moments for mental wellness occur when you are honest with yourself. I live by my late grandma’s phrase, “Keep smiling,” however, smiling feels even better when you confront those challenging feelings and realize you have a team on your side.
Several studies have revealed that medical students, physicians, and healthcare professionals experience mental health symptoms at rates significantly higher than the general population. Stethos[Cope] is a chapter of IfYoureReadingThis designed to help medical students and professionals cope with the unique stressors of medical training and change the narrative of mental health in medicine.
To read more letters and interviews from students, and to learn more about mental health in the medical community, visit the Stethos[Cope] home page.