Struggle #24: The Real World

The foursome in our fancy Doctorate garb

So a lot has happened to me in the past few months and I apologize for not blogging that much... Or at all. I have been on a wild ride but I finally feel like I am starting to get into the groove of everything.  It has taken me this long to blog because I knew once I started this up again that I can't fall off of it.  So here I am ready to be a dedicated blogger again. I have really found that this is a great outlet for me and my thoughts so bear with me as I type away!

First thing is first... I graduated from graduate school and I am officially a Doctor of Physical Therapy! It has been really hard for me actually use the title of doctor because I feel really weird saying it. But everyone around me seems to think it is fun to use, so it seems to roll a little easier off the tongue for me now a days. With becoming a real life physical therapist comes the reality of needing a job, so that is how the beginning of my summer started off.

I was lucky enough to have a connection through my CrossFit gym that got me in contact with a private practice called TheraPlus, whose owner was looking to hire someone. I was nervous about interviewing and everything else it entailed but the job seemed to be almost a perfect fit for me. I get to work with individuals from the age of 6-92 basically and almost everyone is relatively active, healing from an injury, or training to get in better shape. I remember calling my mom after the interview and saying I think I found a job!

She along with many others were nervous about me taking the first job offer I was given, but I had a good feeling about the place. I officially started working there about six weeks ago and things have honestly been going really well. The biggest thing I can say is there is still so much I need to learn. SLU prepared me well for being an entry level PT, but I didn't realize this entry level title really meant I am starting with little knowledge compared to my boss who has fifteen plus years of experience on me.

If you ever need PT and are in the
St. Louis area, look me up!

With each patient I learn something new, whether it be about therapist/patient relationship, ways to mobilize someone, or different exercises to do for things. I am working hard to provide the best possible care I can and I feel like for the most part I do a pretty darn good job. But I definitely get super excited when I do something right and see that what I am doing is benefitting my patient. I hope this is something I never lose.

Starting a real world job has been exhausting for me. My hours right now are all over the place so finding a consistent schedule has been near impossible and not to mention my boss left me alone in the clinic my fourth week there while he and his family went on vacation. Some days I come home completely wiped out and I am thankful I only have to take care of myself at the moment. If I was trying to get adjusted to the real world with a family, pets, or other major responsibilities I know I would be a lot more stressed. Major props to everyone that does that!

The past two weeks I have really gotten better about my diet again. I have locked in on eating good food that is going to fuel my body appropriately. With that being said, that means I have really stepped up my meal preparation again. I have always been great at packing lunches but dinner and breakfast are sometimes hard for me to get a move on. For breakfast my easy solution has been making an egg casserole with a bunch of delicious things in it and for dinner I am trying to make meals I will eat as left-overs so I am not tempted by fast food (mainly Chipolte...). Meal prep seems to make my life so much easier, so I am really trying to stay on top of that.

Always staying busy with
my CrossFit crew

The hardest thing for me right now without a consistent schedule is trying to figure out when I am going to train for CrossFit. I still have big goals that I wish to achieve, but with a varying schedule everyday it is hard to stay consistent in what I want/need to do. I have been fortunate enough to find time to go to the gym everyday but sometimes all I feel like I do is work, workout, eat, and maybe sleep.

I also notice when I have a long day at work and head straight to the gym that my attitude toward working out may not be the most positive thing. I always feel better after working out and that is one of the main reasons I go every day, but I need to work on being excited to be there from the get go. A negative attitude to start with can quickly lead to a downhill slide for the rest of the day, so I try to remind myself everyday of my goals and what it takes to get there. It seems to make me focus better and have a better attitude.

So really to sum it all up, my life hasn't been that exciting the past few weeks. It has mainly been wake up, go to work, head to the gym, come home and try to find something to eat, unwind for a few minutes, and then head to sleep. If I am lucky I squeeze a shower into that mix but sometimes that's just too much effort. Just kidding! I always shower after working out. And wash my hair even though apparently that's bad for your hair.

But anyways, I promise to start posting regularly on here again so stay tuned for the struggles and strengths of yours truly.

I was lucky enough to go to Disney World with my family this summer.
Probably one of my highlights! Everything is magical there.