2020 has come and gone and certainly not in a way that any of us expected. This year felt longer than usual didn’t it?!
Gratitude
For my last blog post of the year I think it fitting to reflect on The Good Health Cafe from its inception to present. The word that comes to mind is gratitude. There is much to be grateful for: the opportunity to reach others through this platform, those who listen to the podcast and read the blog, the wonderful people I have had the opportunity to meet this year, the amazing guests who have graciously accepted to be interviewed on the podcast and share their vast knowledge with us, those who shared their stories with me privately, my fellow public health professionals and pandemic fighting heroes.
Beginnings
Patient advocacy, engagement and compassionate care have always been near and dear to my heart and there are a few people and events which inspired me to get started on this but once I actually decided I was going to do it I became intimidated by all the technology I’d have to figure out. However my husband Samuel, true to his MVP character said, “Nikita, you focus on the content and I’ll focus on the rest.” Note that production and editing are not skills he had before. There it is again, gratitude! I’m so grateful for his love of technology and supportive nature.
Lessons
In the ten episodes that have been released so far our guests have highlighted so many valuable points and lessons:
The decisions that we make about whether to follow the public health guidelines during this pandemic are far from an “individual” one, it has far reaching consequences for not only ourselves but the people around us and the providers we expect to take care of us if we fall sick.
There is no need to avoid visiting the doctor because you are afraid you might hear something bad. The sooner a diagnosis is made the better, and the good news is, once a problem is detected you can work toward the solution!
Trust your gut and don’t be afraid to push for what you need.
The importance of mindfulness, resilience, persistence, being proactive and preparing for your appointments.
Electronic health records can greatly improve the efficiency of the care we receive.
We should treat our mental health the way we do our physical health. We should seek the services of a mental health professional not only when we have a problem but also before we believe we have a problem, this will show our blind spots.
What’s next
In 2021 look out for many more interesting interviews and blog posts from both the patient and provider perspective! Today actually begins a four week run of back to back/weekly podcast episode releases before returning to our bi-weekly release schedule in February.
If you have not had a chance to read our blog catch up on previous posts here and subscribe to the mailing list so that you receive updates when new ones are posted.
Share your story with me
Is there something you would like to know or want to share?
If you would like to share your health story with me on the podcast or even privately I’d love to hear it! If you have topics you’d like me to cover please let me know! I can be reached via email: info [@] thegoodhealthcafe.com, through our website or on any of our social media platforms.
I look forward to connecting with you in the new year.
Happy New Year and stay tuned for lots of exciting content in 2021!
