In 2020 I started my Coffee date catch up posts as a way to connect a bit with my readers and to reflect on my own thoughts and experiences from the last little while. I don’t actually follow the numbers of people that read these posts, but they have served as a nice check in for myself, so I am continuing to write them.
It has been so long since I wrote one of these updates and taken time to reflect on how things are going, because it has been a busy time! I’ve been working a full time job from 8-4pm at a day program where I’ve been able to incorporate my creativity into every single day of my work. I am so much happier these days doing this work than I was earlier in 2021 when I was working in the community on my own. Working with a team and being able to incorporate art, yoga, play etc into my days with my clients have helped me look forward to each day of work. I also feel confident in my work which is a huge change for me!
My job paused to go on holiday break December 17 2021 when our program shut down at the same time as schools. This was an unpaid time, and unlike what I would have done usually, I promised myself I would completely lean into this break and take complete advantage. I took a LOT of naps, started reading for fun and just binge watching tv without feeling like I needed to do anything specific. This is a huge deal for me as I am usually the go go go kind of person who needs to be busy non stop!
This started a huge journey for me where I was able to explore who I am outside of my full time job and my career as an occupational therapist. I have been able to explore my friendships, my personal needs, my passions and my love for simple things like reading and painting. I was able to finally allow myself to rest, to find time to truly recharge, and this allowed me to find the energy to get back to maintaining my friendships that mean the world to me! This spring I got to have a reunion with my OT gals that got me through OT school, and we spent the weekend chatting, snuggling and doing wholesome things like going to the farmers market and having coffee dates. It was honestly the most recharging time and really lit up my soul!
Along with this, I was able to simplify the role I had at work, by ensuring that instead of constantly working and planning, I was planning with intention and passion. I began to get more organized, collaborate more with some of the new members of our team, and brought exploration and parallel programming into my forest program so that my adult clients could explore gratitude circles, mindfulness walks, the zip line and slack line. This gave so much to the group and also slowed me right down to remember the natural benefits of nature that provide so much to our Occupational therapy field! This allowed me, in a backwards sort of way, to also become invested in my blog again, AND to finally start the podcast I have been dreaming of since I took my first OT placement students earlier this year. (check out this post for the info on my blog). Who would have guessed that the more passionate you are and the more you allow yourself to REST intentionally, the more energy you’d have for more passion projects and social interaction!
Since this post was the first in a LONG time, I feel like it is quite scattered, but I also think it is important for me to share, both for myself and for anyone that is following along. I am hoping that along with these learning moments and reflections, I can start returning to more educational posts as well, involving the strategies and learnings from my new job 🙂
If you are someone who has children or works with children with varying abilities, what kind of information would you like to read about? Leave it down in the comments below if you’d like!
Be Your Own Sunshine 