If you’re setting up boundaries in your life to keep toxic people out of your space, and you expect them to stay out because you’ve enforced them, you’re going to be disappointed, upset, and frustrated because this is simply not what boundaries are for. So then, what are they really for and how can we use them effectively?

Experiencing intense emotions is not easy. This is why so many people don’t give themselves the space to stay present through the hard stuff. Sure, self-care and kindness can be about showing yourself love or going on walks outside, but it’s also about allowing yourself to be where you are right now, sitting with the uncomfortable emotions, even when it would be easier to opt-out. 

Today’s episode is about experiences where you leave a job, but your old boss keeps reaching out to you for help, even though you left instructions on how to deal with your responsibilities. This also applies to when you start a new job, and your boss keeps asking you to reach out to your predecessors, or they do it themselves, instead of working with you. I’ve experienced both, and I’m sure some of you have as well.

All of you have an idea of what you want your next career steps to be, or have a goal in mind that you’re working towards. But since the pandemic, you’ve not allowed yourself to plan for the career and life you want because you’ve told yourself it’s no longer possible, or that you have to wait until this all blows over. But this is a lie.

A core belief that all public health staff hold tight is the value of helping people. It’s what led us to this field in the first place. It’s really no surprise that burnout and exhaustion are such a common experience for us, but this week, I’m showing you how to make burnout a thing of the past.

The longer the pandemic has gone on and as we’ve gotten new variants along the way, I know this struggle has only gotten more intense. You’re angry, frustrated, and resentful about those fervently anti-vax, who stand firm in their stance, and have no interest in changing their minds. But if you bear with me and drop into curiosity, I’ll show you how you can feel better right now, without needing to blame or change them.

It is clear to me that one major thing our MPH programs or graduate schools don’t set us up for is the politics of public health. In our industry, we are surrounded by people who think like us. But then we get out into the field, and there are so many people in our communities or elected positions that believe very differently, and we are woefully underprepared for this.

For the remainder of January, I’m doing a three-part series to help you through the stress of dealing with the current COVID surge. Whether you’ve had COVID in the past, currently have it, or are concerned you’re going to be in a situation where you might catch COVID in the near future, tune in this week to discover how to deal with the overwhelm that these situations produce.

As someone who is extremely passionate about the public health field, I also take a critical view of it. I’ve spent a good chunk of my career fighting to improve the experiences of its workforce, and I’ve identified four challenges that most of us aren’t prepared for after finishing our MPH degrees to help you realize you’re not alone in the obstacles you might be facing in your day-to-day. Listen in this week as I guide you through what to do when you encounter any one of these four challenges.

I’m offering a powerful and insightful tool to help you start your new year with direction and intentionality from an emotional point of view. You might be wondering what emotions have to do with kicking off the new year, but in this episode, you're going to discover the power of outlining your most prevalent emotions for both reflecting and setting goals.

We know that COVID has pretty much been two years of adapting and responding, but it won’t end there. So, tune in this week to hear my insights into the future of how we do things in public health, how public health needs to adapt as a whole, and how you as a public health professional need to respond over the coming years to avoid burnout.

Discover why we have to detach ourselves from the belief that someone in our lives is difficult. I’m showing you the thought errors in play when you believe someone is difficult, and how to reframe these thoughts to create a more peaceful, empowering emotional experience because this option is always available to you if you choose.