You know that ‘me in ‘team’? Yes, that one. That is what you need to take care of. Me. You. Yourself.
Every great team starts with YOUR wellbeing. If you are less than fully mentally and physically well, you are holding your team back. You are unable to reach out and lift up the beautiful soul next to you.
Forming a team is easy. You just throw a group of brilliantly talented people together. If you want them to storm usefully, norm collaboratively and perform optimally you have to give them the right and room for personal care and growth.
A team thrives on support. From within and without. I love our little team at The Moballise Physiotherapy Clinic. They all care about each other. Most of all, they care for themselves. They know they have the freedom and support to secure their own wellbeing and development. They come first. Of course, they are the most important part of the team. They ARE me.
Then their family. Having the security of knowing that you work family trusts you and values you is key to success. All the old clichés are true. They have to be. There can be no smoke without fire. And the fire burns hottest at home. That is where charity begins. Love yourself in the warmth of your family. Your friends. Your choice of loved ones.
Then work. Always. Only when the big things in life are stable can we be vulnerable and strong enough to support everyone else in the team. Fill the jar of your life with the big rocks first. There will always be sufficient room in between for the smaller stones, pebbles and sand. Be you. Be proud of you. You are unique. Just like everybody else. You have just as much reason to stand tall. Just as much right to be an individual.
There is a vast difference between selfish and self-love. We should all love ourselves. All the time. There is a time to be selfish. We can learn to recognise how to be selfish without hurting others. Setting aside part of ourselves purely for our ourselves is enormously healthy. It is essential.
Healthcare revolves around key principles such as sympathy and empathy. Sympathy may make you part of the problem. Empathy will enable you to see a potential solution to the problem. If you become the patient, it can make it harder to be the practitioner.
We should always be looking for danger. For others, for our team. Yes, of course. Primarily, though, for ourselves. If we put ourselves in danger, we are endangering everything. Only by understanding and caring for ourselves can we protect those around us. That begins with self care. Self love.
Practice more self love. Be the ‘me’ in ‘team’. Put your own wellbeing first. Primum non nocere – first, do no harm. To yourself. Once you are always on your own side, you will be able to fully be a member of your team. I think they will all thank you for it!
