We are halfway through 2024: let’s check in.
How are YOU (like for real)?
How are things going?
Where are you at, compared to where you want to be?
No matter what your answers are, you’re in the right place right now. In today’s episode, we’re diving into reflecting on your 2024 progress so far, how to reassess your goals & priorities, & how to stay motivated the rest of the year.
Listen now to get started!
Pause: Reflect on 2024 So Far
No matter how big or small your wins are, you MUST celebrate them. Acknowledging your achievements is crucial for recognizing how much progress you’ve truly made.
Additionally, acknowledging your accomplishments helps you maintain motivation & momentum, especially when things get tough throughout the year.
Now we can’t only look at the highs & gloss over the lows. The challenges encountered & lessons learned along the way make us better OncoPTs. In fact, I think the lessons learned that lead to your wins, make the wins that much sweeter.
But you probably won’t feel this way immediately – often, you’ll need to take a step (or ten) back from the situation to appreciate the growth & clarity you’ve gained from this lesson.
While sometimes painful at the start, these experiences are valuable opportunities for growth, helping you to refine your goals and strategies for the remainder of the year.
P.S. message me on Instagram @TheOncoPT & let me know a win & a lesson you’ve learned so far this year.
Reassess: Revisit Your Goals & Priorities
Now that you’ve reflected on your wins & lessons learned so far, it’s time to revisit those goals, New Year’s Resolutions, & priorities you set at the beginning of the year.
It’s important to evaluate whether these goals are still relevant & realistic given your current situation. By taking the time to reassess, you can ensure that your efforts are directed towards what truly matters to you.
Let me be the first to say, your goals are not written in stone. Yes, you should want to achieve your goals & not give up when times get tough. But you should also be realistic when there are barriers & obstacles in your way. Remember: your goals must align with your current circumstances & priorities.
Get Set: Reignite Your Passion & Motivation
It is so common to experience a mid-year slump: seasons change, work gets crazy, life happens.
But this doesn’t mean that 2024 is a wash.
Here are some ways to overcome your mid-year slump:
Reflect on Your Original Motivation
Take some time to remember why you set your goals in the first place. What inspired you? What outcomes were you hoping to achieve?
Set Mini-Goals
Break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. This makes them less daunting and allows you to experience frequent wins, keeping you motivated.
Create a Reward System
Implement a system where you reward yourself for achieving mini-goals or milestones. Rewards can be anything that feels like a treat to you, such as a favorite snack, a movie night, or a small purchase.
Revisit Your Goals Regularly
Schedule regular check-ins (weekly or bi-weekly) to review your progress and make any necessary adjustments. This keeps your goals fresh in your mind and ensures you’re on track.
Stay Flexible
Be willing to adapt your plans if circumstances change. Flexibility allows you to navigate obstacles without losing sight of your overall objectives.
Visualization Exercises
Spend a few minutes each day visualizing the successful completion of your goals. Imagine how it will feel, look, and impact your life. This can reinforce your commitment and enthusiasm.
Journal Your Journey
Keep a journal where you document your progress, challenges, and reflections. Writing about your experiences can help clarify your thoughts and keep your purpose at the forefront.
Create a Vision Board
Use images, quotes, and other visual elements to create a board that represents your goals and the reasons behind them. Place it somewhere you’ll see it daily to serve as a constant reminder.
Talk About Your Goals
Share your goals and the reasons behind them with others. Talking about your aspirations can reinforce your commitment and may provide you with additional support and encouragement.
Get Started: Practical Tips & Tools to Make the Most of 2024
Identify Your Support Network
Recognize the people in your life who can offer support, whether they are family, friends, colleagues, or mentors. Consider their strengths and how they can help you achieve your goals.
Join Communities
Become part of online or local communities related to your goals. Platforms like The Cancer Rehab Community or TheOncoPT Specialization Community (both free to join) can connect you with like-minded individuals who can support & encourage you along your OncoPT journey.
Accountability Partners
Find an accountability partner who shares similar goals or interests. Regularly check in with each other to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps.
Attend Networking Events
Participate in industry events, workshops, or seminars to meet new people and expand your network. Networking can provide fresh insights and opportunities.
Seek Professional Support
Consider hiring a coach or mentor who can offer expert advice and guidance. Professionals can provide valuable perspectives and keep you motivated. Again, check out Rebekah Griffith’s Professional Development Plan webinar.
*I also mentioned Gwen Simons of Simons & Associates Law in this episode – I highly encourage her for all your PT legal needs.
Stay Connected
Maintain regular communication with your support system & provide updates on your progress.
Offer Support to Others
Support is a two-way street. Offer your help and encouragement to others in your network. Building reciprocal relationships fosters a stronger, more reliable support system.
2024 is NOT a wash
There is still lots of time to set, update, & achieve your goals. By revisiting goals & priorities you set at the beginning of the year NOW, you can implement these strategies to take meaningful steps towards your goals.
I want to hear YOUR GOALS – message me on Instagram @TheOncoPT & tell me what goal you are working towards for 2024.
And if you’ve already done that, please share this episode with a PT bestie who needs some encouragement today.
Until next time, this is Elise with TheOncoPT. And remember: you are exactly the physical therapist that your patients with cancer need. So let’s get to work.
Want to watch the episode instead?
Watch this week’s episode of TheOncoPT Podcast on our YouTube channel!
Transcript
Elise – @TheOncoPT (00:19)
Hey, Onco PT and welcome to this episode of the Onco PT podcast. Now it is June, which means that we are halfway through, over halfway through 2024 at this point. And I don’t know about you, but this kind of caught me off guard. So let’s take a little pause today and let’s do a check -in. Let’s see how we’re doing. I’m going to ask you a couple of questions and I want you to honestly answer them. This could be out loud or this could be in your head. Either is fine, but I’d really love your honest.
answer here. How are you? Like for real.
How are things going?
Are you where you thought you would be when you started 2024?
no matter what your answers are, you’re in the right place right now, my friend, because we’re here, we’re together, you’ve got your earbuds in, you’re listening to me in the car, wherever that is for you, you are in the right place. And the reason I know this is actually because of what happened to me this past weekend. So I had a completely different episode planned for this week, but something happened that really shifted something for me.
And it was such a cool experience to be a part of. It was completely unexpected. And it really made me kind of stop and pause and think on things and kind of reflect over the past, not just six months, but also over the past few years that I’ve been doing the Onco PT. So before I get too crazy with this, back up, let’s start with this. So this past weekend, what all kind of, you know, started this kickoff of let’s check in, let’s talk about it.
was this weekend, I went to my cousin’s wedding here in Fort Worth. Now, if you’ve heard me talk about this before, you already know, but actually most of my family does not live in Texas. I’m originally from Nebraska, spent a lot of time during my growing up years with family in Iowa. So a lot of my family is from the Midwest, which is where they still are today. And so this cousin of mine, long story short, was actually having her wedding down here in Fort Worth.
And I was very excited about it. My husband and I and my parents were going and it was going to be a good time because these are, these are family. We were really, really excited to see them. But outside of that, we really didn’t think that we were going to know that many people outside the immediate bride, groom, you know, some of the siblings and then whoever we came with, because a lot of the family is from all across the Midwest, right? Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, you know, Illinois, Minnesota, gosh, lots of different places here. Okay. So.
Just so you know, this is kind of where we’re coming from here. And so at the time, you know, we go through the ceremony. It was lovely. Cocktail hour is ending and we’re about to transition into the reception. And so I went and found our table where we were sitting at and I’m sitting there just kind of, you know, hanging out, waiting, waiting for the next part of the evening to start. And then I hear this voice that says, excuse me, are you Elise? And I turned my head.
And I saw this person and was like, yes. I didn’t really know where this was going. Again, like I don’t know that many people at the wedding, so I’m not really sure what’s happening here. So after I said, yes, I’m Elise, then this voice keeps looking at me and says, are you TheOncoPT?
And y ‘all, when I tell you I was stunned into silence, this is no exaggeration. I’ve never had this experience before where I’ve been recognized. It makes me feel so funny now talking about it on air, but there’s a point to all of this, I pinky promise. But I’ve never had this experience. Anytime I’ve ever like met some of you, it’s always been within a conference setting or within, you know, a very like structured oncology rehab physical therapy setting.
I’ve never been out in the wild, quote, and have met one of you before. So this was such a very, very cool and special experience. So to the listener who I got to meet at this amazing, amazing event over the past weekend. So again, long story short, ended up that this person named Dr. Lauren Vera, who’s out of California and is an oncology PT herself, knew my cousin from college. And so of course she came to the wedding.
And she saw me from across the venue and what have you and was like, my God, I think that’s Elise. Sure enough, it was. I was probably much shorter in real life than she thought, but that’s okay. She didn’t say that. That’s just what I know from people meeting me previously. But it was so lovely. And it was just this like, wow, what a coincidence. What a small world. What a surprise kind of deal that it was so beautiful in the meantime.
like in that moment, but it really, I think kind of just like set this cascade of thoughts off in my mind that I continued to reflect on over the next couple days until I sat down to write this episode this morning. And it really gave me a little more perspective on what’s going on right now, what has happened over the past, you know, six months for me professionally.
here at the Onko PT, also my private practice, but then also kind of what’s happening in like big life kind of things. It was just really interesting that such a chance encounter kind of started all of this for me and really got me thinking and pondering and kind of questioning some things as far as like, what am I doing? Where am I going? Why am I doing these things? And it was so lovely, I think at the heart of this, at the heart of what I’m trying to say here is that,
Right now I’m sitting in my office and it’s me and my dog, Teddy, is just off camera in his bed snoozing.
And it doesn’t always feel real. It doesn’t always feel like I’m talking to a person on the other side of this microphone in this computer screen. Like it really does feel like I’m sometimes talking to myself. And so this meeting with Lauren over the weekend really kind of humanized this. There is somebody listening to this on the other side and that that re -realization, right? Instead of, you know, feeling like I’m just talking to into out into the void.
really made me think on like, what am I doing? Am I doing what I set out to be doing at the beginning of this year, end of last year? Am I on track with what I know is needed out there in oncology, physical therapy and cancer rehab? Like, am I on track? Am I, you know, making progress towards those goals that I’ve set for myself?
And it actually made me pull out the planning, like goal setting that I did at the end of last year, beginning of this year, that I’ll talk a little bit about here shortly. And I kind of had to ask myself some hard questions on like, am I actually working towards this goal? Is this the right goal for me right now? That was something that was really uncomfortable to kind of sit with and talk about.
And for the goals that I still feel like I’m, yes, I want to be working towards those, those are appropriate for right now in my life. Am I really making progress towards those? And the answer on some of them was no. And that was actually really hard to kind of sit with. But I think that’s really important. And so the reason that I bring this up is first of all, thank you so much to Dr. Laura Nvera for introducing yourself at the wedding. It was so lovely to meet you.
I really, really hope that I get the chance to encounter you again. I also hope that I get to meet each and every one of you who are listening to this podcast at some point, because it really is such a special place to be able to be here on the podcast and talk about the thing that I love probably most of all, which is oncology, physical therapy, with other people who love it just as much, if not more than I do. Like what a privilege, what a blessing that is. And again, just…
a great way to kind of sit back and be like, am I really doing what I need to be doing right now? Which is exactly why I think a mid -year check -in is so appropriate right now. Again, we are over halfway through the year and I kind of was feeling basically until this last weekend of like, I really feel stuck. I don’t feel like I’m going to get anywhere for the rest of the year, which I know is super negative, but that’s where I was. And I would wager that some of you might be also feeling that.
So today as part of our check -in, we’re also going to be talking about how can we get out of this mentality of like, well, it’s already halfway through the year. I’m stuck and I don’t really know what to do. We are kicking that mentality to the curb, my friend, you and me together.
because there is still so much left in 2024. There’s so much opportunity, there’s so much time, and there’s so much space to grow. And I want that for the both of us. So we’re going to take this in kind of a four step process in today’s episode. I would really encourage you as you’re going through these different strategies and tips and kind of like mental exercises, make a note and whether or not you are taking notes during this or just mentally, you know, kind of taking
note of what you’re thinking, what you’re responding to these different questions, I’d really encourage you, don’t let this episode be the end of this conversation. Keep this going because again, while it’s June, while it’s, we’re over halfway through June right now, there’s still so much to do. And I know you have the capacity and the time and the energy for it if we really focus in on what’s really, really important. So this first phase that we’re going to go through is to pause.
I know, right? We’re, we’re, we’re revving up to pause instead of going here. But the reason that we’re doing this is to reflect on 2024 so far. And I really want you to start with your wins, right? Let’s start on a good note. Let’s start on a positive vibe. No matter how big or small that these wins are, you have experienced some wins in your life already in 2024, even though the year is not done, right? We are halfway through the year. There is still.
some really amazing stuff that you have made happen or helped make to happen. And we need to celebrate those. You need to acknowledge and celebrate your achievements so far, because this is crucial for really recognizing how much progress you have truly made. So first, this is kind of taking stock of what have we done so far? And it’s easy to kind of gloss over some of this stuff. I’m like, you know, it’s July, or, you know, almost July, it’s June right now.
Don’t gloss over that. Really think right now in your mind. Again, you can say this out loud as you’re driving. You can keep this to yourself if you’re listening on your pods at the gym or something or over your lunch break. What is the win that you have had so far?
What is a win that you have contributed to in your own life? Whether that’s professionally, whether that’s personally, like what is that?
by acknowledging this, by celebrating it out loud, or again, very consciously calling it into your mind, we are acknowledging the work that went into that, which helps you also maintain that motivation and momentum to keep working on and working towards your goals, especially when things get tough throughout the year. Again, it’s not if things get tough, it’s when they get tough, which we know, we know very, very well in physical therapy.
And with that, now that we’ve acknowledged our high, we don’t get to just brush our lows underneath the rug, right? These challenges that you encounter and the lessons you learn along the way help to make you a better oncology physical therapist. And in fact, I think that the lessons learned from these challenges, these obstacles, these barriers along the way ultimately lead to the wins and they make these wins
all the better, all the sweeter, that sweet taste of victory when you finally cross that finish line, reach that goal, whatever that is for you. I think the lows really make the highs that much higher. And it’s easy to say this from someone who’s been doing a little more conscious reflecting lately. I don’t have this completely figured out, but I’m working on it. I’m working on it. It is really easy for me to say, look at all these amazing things and these lessons you learned along the way.
It can be really hard to feel that way when you are in the midst of it. I totally get that friend. You probably will not feel like, wow, what a great lesson. I’m so glad I went through that challenge. You may not feel that ever, right? But it is going to take you time to take a step back or maybe 10 steps. Maybe you need a lot more space than that to really appreciate the growth.
and the clarity that you’ve gained from this lesson or this challenge that you’ve encountered along the way. And while it can sometimes be extremely painful at the start, these experiences are really valuable opportunities for growth, which can also help you refine the goals and strategies that you implement for the rest of 2024. So it would be really easy for me to sit here and be like, hypothetically, here’s what this is.
Let me take you behind the scenes and let me actually share one of those really hard lessons that I have learned over the past seven, eight months at this point. So end of 2023, I was actually making some major moves in my private practice where I was going to be moving in to this space where I would be the designated oncology rehab provider.
for a very significant population of oncology patients here in Fort Worth. It was an amazing opportunity. I was really looking forward to it. It was actually kind of this next phase of my dream career for myself. I was very, very excited about it. I was in meetings with this group to try and make this happen, and it all came down to negotiation.
And we had a bunch of terms and conditions that we had gone back and forth on. We had lawyers going back and forth on to make sure that we were both coming to this agreement with the absolute like, yes, this is the right decision, whatever. And it literally came down to some like three terms in this contract. And God bless her. She is worth her weight in gold. This is not an ad, but Gwen Simons is a lawyer and a physical therapist.
who specializes in this, who does nothing but PT contracts all day every day. And so I hired her to consult with me on this process and it came down to these like three terms or whatever in the contract. And she told me, she says, do not sign this contract. And my gut, like my heart absolutely sank into my gut. I was, I was devastated. I was fearful of like, my God, I’m losing this chance. Like.
What are we gonna do? Like if this isn’t something that we can agree on, what the heck is going to happen? How am I going to make this work? And you know, went back and forth with this organization, but you know, again, thankfully Gwen was very, very clear. She was like, this is not good. These are not good terms. It is not in your best interests to agree to these. Like you know, I advise you not to do that. And ultimately I took her advice and I walked away from this potential agreement and it was,
Scary. It was so scary. I was so uncertain. Everything I had built up for like months at this point had just completely like the bottom had completely fallen out. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen with my private practice because I was you know in the process of like moving into this new location etc. And I was just like, I just don’t know about this.
I feel confident that I made the right decision because I know it would not have worked out had I agreed to those terms. But man, this is not how I thought this would all shake out. It was very hard. It was very frustrating. It was very like, I kind of felt, if I’m going to be completely honest, I kind of felt like I was back at square one when I left my corporate physical therapy job way back in 2020.
And that is not ever a place that I want to be back in. So it was just like, man, this is so painful. Well, while it was really painful at the time, it ultimately ended up being the best decision. Has it made it more of a different challenge? And now I’m in a different space and I’m having to go out and do more of the marketing and the community connections to get referrals and get patients in the door.
Yes. Has it, you know, does that mean more work for me? Yes. Does that mean that growth is slower? Yes. But ultimately I know that it was the right decision and I was feeling very solid in this. And then I actually got some updates over the past couple of months about like what’s been happening since I backed out. And the answer is I made the absolute best decision for me because I know absolutely in my heart of hearts now.
that if I had agreed to that contract way back at the end of 2023, my life would be miserable right now. And that is not a place that I want to ever, ever be again when it comes to patient care, because it was awful.
Could I have appreciated way back at the end of 2023 that like, it’s all gonna work out? No, no, I was not there. And even then, you know, I’m not in this happy like, rainbows and unicorns, like everything’s taken care of, it’s perfect. No, I’m still working really hard to make things happen. But I have the gift now of time and a little more information to realize like that really was the best decision for me at that time. And again, major props.
Not an ad, not an affiliate. If you ever need any kind of legal advice in the physical therapy realm, especially when it comes to contracts like that, Gwen Simons, all day, every day, I will sing her praises. Amazing. I’ll link that in the blog post for this episode, but again, highly, highly recommend. So anyways, the big takeaway from this is that one of the big lessons I’ve learned over the past six years as a physical therapist is that I need to be abundantly clear on my boundaries. And this…
Incident that I’m talking about where it was like I’m gonna move into the space. Nope I’m not gonna move into this space this was the first time professionally that I think I have been very very clear on my boundaries and Walked away from something when this crossed my boundaries Because that is not something I have been good at in the past. In fact, I’ve been very bad at it and So this lesson of now that I have enforced boundaries and I have seen that wow, this actually really was for my
for my best, highest self.
It’s been kind of cool to see that side of things. And so I would really, really encourage you as you’re reflecting on what, you know, pausing and reflecting on 2024 so far, what have been the wins that you’ve had, but also don’t neglect on the lessons that you’ve learned. Again, it might be early, maybe you’re still, you know, kind of processing lessons from end of 2023, like myself over here.
But what are those things? And that can really help to kind of put perspective on what’s been going on so far, especially as we move into the next phase of what we’re talking about, which is to reassess. And this is where we are revisiting your goals and priorities that you outlined and set for yourself moving into 2024. So now that you reflected on the wins and the lessons and the challenges, it’s time to revisit the goals.
New Year’s resolutions and priorities that you set at the beginning of the year. After everything happened at the end of 2023 with the new location for my private practice falling through, I really kind of dug into the, wow, I’m feeling really lost. I don’t really know what to do at this point. I need guidance because what I thought was going to happen just completely, like again, the bottom fell out. I need some professional help here.
And so this was actually TBH. This was the first year that I’ve set concrete goals for a year intentionally with an actual action plan. I’ve never done that before in my life, especially professionally. Like that has just not been something that I’ve enjoyed doing or wanted to do. But again, with everything that changed at the end of last year, it made it very apparent. It was like, this is the next right step for me.
And so how it all came about, for me, the plan that I used that I really enjoyed using was Rebecca Griffith’s professional development plan webinar. Again, this is not an ad, this is not an affiliate. This was the first real goal setting experience or exercise I’ve ever done that I actually stuck with to completion and then have actually pulled out those goals again with the intention of working towards achieving them.
highly, highly encourage you to check that out. I will also include that link in the show notes as well. But the process by which I worked through this, again, very intentional, very purposefully laid out webinar and worksheet really helped clarify a lot of things for me that I wanted to do. And what I really appreciate is that as part of this, you’re revisiting, like you’re supposed to set your goals, but then not just like lock them up until next December.
but keep going over them, keep revisiting, keep reassessing that progress on, am I on track with what I want to do, what I am trying to do with all of this? And so it’s really important now that we’re in June, again, we’re halfway through the year, that you’re evaluating whether these goals and priorities that you set at the beginning of 2024 are still relevant and realistic. Ooh, important word there.
for your current situation, right? What are the current circumstances that you are dealing with? And do those goals and priorities that you set in the past still kind of match what you are able to do, what you are willing to do, and what you want to do at this point in 2024? And so by taking the time to reassess, you can still ensure that your efforts are directed towards what truly matters for you. Again,
Maybe your goals have changed. Maybe your priorities have shifted. And let me be the first to say, I, your goals are not written in stone, right? Just because you, you know, go through, whether it’s, you know, Rebecca Griffith’s webinar plan or something else entirely, those aren’t written in stone. And I don’t say this to give you an out on, that goal is hard. Just give up. Okay. That is the, that is the absolute last thing that I’m saying here.
You should want to achieve your goals and not give up when times get tough because remember times will get tough. Times will get tough. But you should also be realistic and forgiving and graceful, gracious with yourself, to yourself when there are barriers and obstacles along the way. When your current circumstances and priorities change.
One of the things that I am personally learning right now is should and should as a word, like as a feeling comes from a place of like shame and a little bit of guilt maybe for me. Like I should be farther along. This is coming from a place of comparison that is very, very abstract in my brain. I’m working with my therapist on this if you can’t tell.
And this idea of like, should, doesn’t always match what’s currently happening in our life, in your life and your circumstances right now, right? What has changed? What has shifted that has maybe altered what some of your priorities and goals are and what you want them to be. And so again, like I mentioned previously, this is the first time that I’ve really gone back and revisited those goals that I set at the end of 2023.
And some of the goals that I set then don’t actually align with what I’m working towards right now in 2024. And for me, this falls into two kind of big camps. There are goals that do not make sense for what I am doing, what I am focusing on right now in my career, in my life. And I’m probably going to sunset those goals or at least maybe put them on pause for now.
and then I’ll revisit them maybe later this year or maybe even next year or beyond. There’s also, so the other side of things, there’s also some goals that I very much want to work towards and I want to accomplish and I am not taking the steps that are going to help me actually achieve that goal. So this reflection that I’ve been doing has really kind of enabled me to ask the hard questions of like, am I actually on track for these goals? No.
Why is that? Are these goals that I want to continue working towards? Are these goals I need to pause? Are these goals that I maybe need to shift back as a priority in my life? So stay tuned. I am actively working on that right now, even as I’m recording this podcast episode and releasing it. But it’s really important that we reassess, right? Revisit those goals, revisit those priorities so that you can then get ready for this next phase, which is our get.
set, our get ready, right? And this is where we are reigniting our passion and motivation once we’ve established what are like, okay, there’s a disconnect between the goals that we’ve set previously and where I want to be and where I am right now. It is so common for us to experience a mid -year slump, right? Seasons change. It is really hot right now here in Texas.
And I say that with the full knowing that like it is going to get harder, hotter, but man, it is hard to feel motivated when your ankles are sweating, you know, or just, you know, insert body part here. Life gets crazy. Work gets crazy. Life happens. There’s so many reasons why a mid -year slump happens. But remember that does not mean experiencing a mid -year slump does not mean that the year is over. That 2024 is a wash.
And here are some very specific ways that you can help overcome your mid -year slump. Number one, reflect on your original motivation. Why did you set those goals in the first place? What inspired you to say, this is something that I want to work towards, right? That I want to achieve, that I want to accomplish. What were you hoping would happen by achieving?
that goal, right? Whatever that is. And one of the most powerful ways I think that we can really kind of even break down goals into even more achievable in our brain, like make those goals less on this like super high pedestal and more on like, here’s the step, here’s the next step, here’s the next step I need to take in order to, you know, achieve them, which is setting.
mini goals. And this is where we are breaking your larger goals, maybe for the year, for the quarter, down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Tasks, excuse me. And so this is going to make them less daunting and allow you to experience more frequent wins. And remember, like we talked about earlier, this is going to help you stay motivated and on the path towards achieving that larger goal that you have.
One of the great ways that may also help incentivize you to keep working towards these goals is by implementing a rewards system. Now this does not have to be anything extravagant or super elaborate, but just something where you are again, acknowledging the work that you have done to achieve certain mini goals or milestones. And this could be anything that feels like a treat for you. Now you might be one of those people that’s like, I need a little treat. And you go down to your local
bakery and get a cupcake or what have you. Cool, amazing. Maybe that’s a great motivation for you. Personally, I’m a podcast junkie. And what I have found is that I would so rather obviously listen to podcasts than do the work that I have to do. But what I do, what I have implemented for myself is that once I’m done with the work day and I’ve accomplished X, Y, Z task,
I can then listen to a particular podcast episode, you know, when I go to the gym after work or something like that. And so again, for me, that’s a really great like little mini reward I can do to, you know, keep me motivated. It’s something I enjoy doing. You know, there’s definitely a dopamine hit with that. You know, again, maybe it’s a little snack. Maybe it’s a movie night. Maybe it’s a small purchase that you’re rewarding yourself.
But again, creating a reward system that incentivizes you specifically, not your mom, not your neighbor, not your dog, that is going to incentivize you to work towards those goals and stay consistent on that path is only going to help you with that. The next tip that I would offer here is to revisit your goals regularly. Again, once a year or twice a year if you’re me right now is not enough. We really need to be going back. You need to go back and revisit those goals.
And maybe it’s not every week. That might be a little much for you. That’s okay. Maybe it’s every other week. Maybe it’s once a month, right? So instead of doing these very sporadic, my God, I don’t even know where I’m at when it comes to goal progress, having these regular check -ins helps to keep things fresh on your mind and make sure that you’re on track. And if you discover that you’re off track, then you can make a course correction, get back on track and keep going.
One of the other things why I love revisiting your goals is because while it, you know, obviously keeps things very fresh in your mind of, you know, I, you know, I’m off track on this, whatever. It also allows you to kind of take into consideration what’s happening in your life. What is going on at work? What is happening with your family, your friends, you know, the, your community, what have you, other things that you’re involved with.
to then say, you know what, I’ve got a lot happening right now. I need to adjust. And this is part of being flexible. You have to be flexible.
And I would add like the next kind of verb or adverb on this, excuse me, would be to be gracious, have grace with yourself. Be willing to adapt if circumstances change so that you can still navigate through these obstacles without losing sight of your overall goals or objectives while also not beating yourself up in the process. I think flexibility as a trait in this capacity, not necessarily like, my.
pectoralis flexibility, but having flexibility and grace.
You have to have both. You cannot have flexibility and still expect to be working towards your goals and be happy working towards your goals and happy when you eventually achieve your goals unless you have grace for when you need to be flexible. Say, it is okay. It is okay that I’m having to make some adjustments even though this isn’t how I want things to go. I’m still making progress towards my goals. Other ways that you can really help.
motivate yourself as you’re going through this, maybe through visualization exercises or journaling, right? Where you’re imagining what is going to happen once I achieve this goal, once I accomplish this milestone that I’ve set out for myself. And this can also help you not just with the end in mind, but also the progress along the way, excuse me, right?
So what does it feel like? What does it look like? How will I feel? What is it going to look like when I am working through these goals? How am I going to feel? How is my life going to look as I’m working through this? And then also, of course, what is it going to look like, feel like once I finish that goal? And again, if you’re a very visual person, this could be really helpful if you’re someone who kind of needs to process more.
You’re like maybe a little kinesthetic pen to paper here. Journaling could be very helpful here. Another thing that I’ve really enjoyed doing is creating a vision board. So for me, actually on my desktop computer, I’m looking to it just off screen right now. That’s where I do most of my work. And I have for a few years, I have put screenshots or different images that I’ve saved of these big goals that I have on the back of my computer screen.
And so every day when I log into that computer for work, I see that and I see that. And for me, because I have a really big screen, it’s like very much in my face and I can see the detail of, so I’ll give you the spoiler here. So my, the background of my big computer here are images from the Venice, Simplon Orient Express. Like my dream someday is to take a trip across Europe.
with my sister and maybe our husbands on this fabulous train that features very heavily in Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, who is one of my favorite authors. And so seeing the rich detail of the train interior and the train exterior and like what happens inside that train and the sights to see as you’re riding on that train is very much for me. Like it’s a very beautiful thing to look at. And that’s a great reminder for me of like,
This is what I’m working towards as I’m working on these goals. That may not work for you, that’s okay, but that’s another thing of, you know, that’s not necessarily like an official vision board I’ve created, but it is a similar or adjacent to a vision board of where I’m going. Now, you may choose in your vision board to maybe actually do the, you know, the cutting out of different pictures and other visual elements like that, but really,
you know, this board, this vision board should represent not only your goals, but also the reasons behind them. So again, I think that’s probably for me what my computer, you know, background is. It’s the reason behind accomplishing these goals, because I want to go take this fabulous, you know, glamorous train trip across Europe. And so that’s my motivation, like a big motivation for me behind some of these goals that I’ve set forward for myself. Another thing that I have…
Traditionally not done and this has probably been to my hindrance more than anything is to talk about goals I’m gonna be honest this podcast episode is probably the first time that I have verbalized some of those goals out loud Not just like on the podcast, but in general. I tend to be a very secretive person in that Not because it’s really a secret because sometimes I think I’m embarrassed. I’m like, that’s silly like whatever no, I
That is so silly that we do that to ourselves. And I really, really hope that you don’t do that to yourself. And if you do, stop that right now, we’re not doing that anymore, okay? I want you to share your goals and the reasons behind your goals with others. Who are some important people in your life? Your friends, maybe a partner, you know, who is somebody that you can share your aspirations with? And this is going to help reinforce your commitment and maybe also provide an additional source of…
encouragement and support as you are working towards those goals. So we’re going to take a pause real quick here. Action item for today. I know we’re not done with the episode, but action item for today. I want you to message me on Instagram and I want you to tell me what is a goal that you are working towards in 2024. So message me the Onco PT on Instagram and let me know what is a goal that you are working towards.
Because I think that this would be a great way if you don’t have anybody else that you’re talking about goals with, hey friend, maybe I could be a little cheerleader over here for you to make sure that we are working towards our goals together.
Just a thought. I’d love to hear from you. So again, you can message me on Instagram at theoncopt and I would love to hear about your goal. Okay. Next phase here, which is to actually get started. What are some practical tools and tips and practices, frankly, that you can move forward with to make the most of the rest of 2024? Number one is identify your support group. Who is?
the network, the community of people who are going to support you on your journey, and maybe they’re not on necessarily the exact same journey as you, but who are the supportive individuals and groups and communities in your life that can help offer support and encourage you and motivate you and also hold you accountable as you’re working towards this? This is a great opportunity to kind of reassess like who’s in your life.
who can be that source or hopefully multiple peoples, who can be that source of encouragement and motivation for you? This could be a great opportunity for you to join different communities, whether that’s in person or online. Over here at the OncoPT, we have two different communities called the Cancer Rehab Community and the OncoPT Specialization Community. These are both free communities that we offer for rehab professionals who are interested in.
diving deeper into oncology and how can we better show up to serve and work with our patients affected by cancer. So I’ve included the links to both of those in the show notes here. You can find the cancer rehab community at theoncopt .com slash community. Again, both are free. We would love to see you over there, but this is a great place for you to find like -minded individuals and this global network that we’ve curated.
who can support and encourage you along your journey as an Onco PT. Maybe this is meaning for you finding an accountability partner, right? Maybe more of a one -on -one situation where you can find somebody and work with somebody who shares similar goals and interests, and it’s an opportunity to check in regularly with somebody who knows what you’re working towards. It can also help keep you motivated and encourage.
and maybe also pick you up on those days when it is hard and times are tough and you don’t really know what the next step in front of you is, this could be a great way to get you, you know, maybe offer a little umbrella on a rainy day. I would be remiss if I did not mention again, Rebecca Griffith’s professional development plan webinar. Again, not an ad, not in an affiliate for this program. I highly, highly believe in it.
because it was the first time I felt like I was able to really set tangible goals and implement an action plan that was not going to be something that I chucked at the end of January, which is typically what I end up doing. So having someone like Rebecca Griffith or somebody else entirely who can serve as a coach or a mentor to offer expert advice and guidance, not just like a friend, could be very, very helpful here. Again,
providing really valuable perspective and also helping you frankly cut through the BS that sometimes we invent or we perceive in our own minds as obstacles to what we’re doing. Honestly, like, I hate this, but I love it. Rebecca asks me really challenging, hard questions and it makes me uncomfortable and it makes me squirm in the moment.
but I know after I’ve gotten through the breakthrough, can you see me rolling my eyes right now? Like this is something I do in therapy too, I’m like, ugh, I hate feeling this way in the moment that I feel so much better and I have so much more clarity afterwards.
Rebecca, if you’re listening to this, dang it lady, like, I hate it in the moment, but it feels so much better afterwards. So thank you for that. Highly encourage it. Highly recommend Rebecca Griffith’s professional development webinar. Anyways, last thing that I’ll end with here is that support is not a one -way street.
As much as you are drawing support from others, I would really challenge you here to offer support back. So don’t just take the support, also give the support, provide the support back, because this is going to help you not just A, be a better friend and colleague, which is always a good thing, but it’s also going to help establish and build a more reliable and long -lasting support system.
which I think is something that’s really, really important for us, not only as oncology physical therapists, but also as humans to have that really established dependable framework that we can fall back on to help us out in the meantime. And sometimes you are going to have great days. And that could be a time where maybe you reach out to somebody who’s not having a great day. You know, maybe that’s in your community, that’s your accountability partner or whatever, where you could serve as that umbrella during a rainy day, for example.
All this to say, in sum, 2024 is not over. 2024 is not a wash. I don’t want you to give up on this year just because we are in June does not mean that, well, I’ll try again next year. No, my friend, I’m pushing back on that. And I really, really want you to push yourself because there is still lots of time to set, to update and to achieve your goals in 2024.
and by revisiting your goals and priorities that you set previously, you know, at the beginning of this year, at the end of last year, you can still implement strategies that we’ve covered today and more to take meaningful steps towards your goals. And so as, you know, as part of being transparent and showing that I am doing this work and I want you to do this work too, we are in this together, my friend, I’m going to share a goal that I have previously not shared.
except for, I think with like two other people at this point. And a goal that I have for 2024 is that I want there to be 250 therapists attending the Cancer Rehab Community Conference 2024, which takes place November 8th through the 9th of 2024. So here it is, 250 therapists is my goal. And I’m really, really excited about it. It’s a really challenging goal.
but I also know that we can do it. Now we have to make it happen. So maybe we’ll do a little follow -up episode like in December and I’ll revisit more of the goals that I set at the beginning of the year and maybe like how the goals changed and what goals I ended up accomplishing and what goals I’m still gonna keep working towards. I’m planning this out loud as I speak right now. Okay, anyways, so I want to hear your goals, friend.
As I mentioned previously in this episode, I want you to message me on Instagram at the Onco PT and tell me a goal, just a goal that you were working towards for this year. It does not have to be anything grandiose, right? Maybe it’s 250 therapists at the Cancer Rehab Community Conference 2024. Maybe it’s something different entirely. Maybe it’s a professional goal. Maybe it’s a personal goal. But what goal are you working towards? And you are recommitting.
yourself to as of today in June 2024. Let me know, message me on Instagram at the Onco PT. And if you’ve already done that, if you already did the action step earlier in this episode, I would really love it if you would share this episode with an Onco PT bestie who needs some encouragement today. Until next time, this is Elise with the Onco PT. And remember, you are exactly the physical therapist that your patients with cancer need.
So let’s get to work.