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By Brenda Debastiani, MBA, CRA, FAHRA
I hope that September has been good to you thus far. In Florida, we have been experiencing a great deal of rain. (To me it seems like we have received more than our fair share of rain; but according to the native Floridians, this is the rainy season. And this is normal.) I have begun gardening at my new home. Gardening is a favorite hobby of mine, so I planted hot peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables. To me, nothing says “I love living in Florida” better than raising a vegetable garden in the fall and winter months. (If I still lived in West Virginia, I would be expecting frost and snow soon!)
I shared in my last month’s LINK article that I am doing well on meeting 2/3 of my personal goals. 1) I have increased my physical activity by going to the fitness center regularly. I have also begun playing bocce ball with a new group of friends. What fun! 2) I have been spending time in my “happy places”: at the beach; with family and friends; on the phone with family and friends; and now working in my new patio garden. 3) I have still been working some long hours at my new job. I’m holding myself accountable for doing what is right for both my team and for myself. Now being successful with that, my friends, is having perfect work-life balance! I have been journaling at the end of my workdays to identify what went well that day. If I focus on positive thoughts, I will train my brain to think positively.
I have had the opportunity to give direct patient care this past month (while learning how to operate equipment at my new job). That “instant gratification” that I get from making a connection with my patients, providing quality care, and producing perfect images is so rewarding to me. In addition, my leading by example has strengthened my relationships with my new team. (I am not just their coach or boss, I am their coworker who genuinely cares about our patients and about them.) We have been talking about patient safety, patient identification, infection control, repeat rates, and multiple other expectations. I have the right to hold them accountable for their actions since I’m leading by example.
What have you done to build relationships with your team and your family, as well as take better care of yourself? Try giving others the benefit of the doubt versus thinking the worst. Stop believing that you have a superior understanding of peoples’ motives. Be kind. Remember that we don’t know what anyone else is going through or how others are feeling. Make time for yourself. Listen more than you talk. Share positive stories! And, remember that the front windshield is huge, but the rearview mirror is purposefully very small. (Stop looking backwards with regrets. Look forward to improving your life and your teams’ lives.)
I hope that I have given you food for thought on how to reinvent yourself. Next year’s AHRA CLIMB spring meeting will be February 24-26, 2023 in San Diego, CA. The 2023 AHRA Annual meeting will be July 9-12 in Indianapolis, IN. I hope to see you in person there. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please reach out to me at Brenda.DeBastiani@BraveraHealth.com.
Brenda Debastiani is the AHRA 2022-2023 President and can be reached at the email address above.
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