Starting at a new practice, managing a demanding caseload, worrying about student loan debt, and finding time for life outside the clinic can leave new equine veterinarians feeling overwhelmed. Everyone, however, carries burdens that can affect their well-being and joy. Whether you feel despair over current world events or aggravation over your puppy shredding your favorite shoes, you have likely experienced those feelings boiling over, manifesting in an internal (or external!) scream.
“Pausing is a purposeful act of kindness toward yourself. It’s how we catch our breath, recharge, and gain perspective,” wrote Tamara Levitt, Head of Mindfulness at the meditation app Calm. Being kind to yourself is important, because negativity bias is an innate psychological tendency that causes us to give more weight, attention, and memory to negative experiences, information, or emotions than to equal positive ones.
Negativity bias was important in evolutionary survival. Our ancestors needed to spot environmental dangers and recognize predators quickly to stay alive. Detecting threats was a strong priority for their brains. Perhaps as a result, imperative, negative stimuli trigger stronger and faster electrical activity in the cerebral cortex. Our thoughts then trigger negative emotions, which lead to actions and behaviors.
Calming Techniques
When you feel overwhelmed, there are simple ways to steady yourself. The first is mindfulness—focusing on what you are experiencing with all your senses in the present moment. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique to calm your thoughts and anchor yourself in the now:
- Acknowledge five things you see around you. It could be a bird or a spot on the ceiling.
- Note four things you can touch around you. It could be your hair, your stethoscope, or the ground beneath your feet.
- Name three things you hear, preferably outside your body, like a light humming, birds singing, or a clock ticking.
- Find two things you can smell. Maybe you are in your truck and can smell manure on your boots or the lingering stench of a hoof abscess. But perhaps you’ve picked a sprig of blooming purple lilac—that would be more pleasant!
- Finally, think of one thing you can taste, such as gum, coffee, or the sandwich from lunch.
Another exercise is to be self-aware of when you are feeling overwhelmed and gently acknowledge the thought without judging yourself. Intentionally look for alternative, balanced perspectives instead of assuming the worst-case scenario. This is called cognitive reframing. Take a moment to breathe and remember how you want to show up in the world.
Another effective and easy calming technique for an equine veterinarian is to savor small positive moments. This requires actively pausing to appreciate and absorb good moments, since the brain naturally lets positive experiences slip by faster, sometimes without you noticing them. Stepping outside a barn where you’re working in the winter for just a few minutes can be transformative. Tip your face to the sunshine and breathe. Or bury your nose in the neck of a horse’s winter coat and appreciate that unmistakable scent. Just a few moments could make a huge difference in experiencing moments of joy every day.
Final Thoughts
You deserve to have moments every day where you feel connected and peaceful and experience moments of wonder, awe, and joy. Be intentional about giving yourself space to thrive.
Related Reading
- The Business of Practice: Practicing Self-Compassion
- The Business of Practice: Silencing Your Inner Critic
- Veterinary Wellness Briefs: Mental Health Resources for Veterinarians
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