A Smoking Gun State of Mind

by Jean Perdicaris

My significant other quit smoking five years ago – November 16, 2012 – precisely one week after we reconnected. He’d been a smoker for 40 years – the same number of years we’d not seen each other. (Yeah, we’re one of those couples that found each other on social media.) He was a recent Floridian transplant to the Mid-South. I was living in Texas. Anyways, if you ask him, he says the key to his quitting was jolly ranchers – the watermelon, grape, & sour apple variety by the bagful. Our first year of courtship was a commuting one, and jolly ranchers served as a chaperone on our dates. They were a habitual presence. Every two, three, or four weeks, we’d meet up in east Texas – the geographical mid-point for us. I’d bring jolly ranchers. He’d bring jolly ranchers. We’d shop for jolly ranchers. On occasion, we’d have to “hunt” for jolly ranchers. It was those times that salvation was often found in a still wrapped, albeit sticky hot flavorful mess, underneath a car floorboard. I don’t know how he determined that jolly ranchers were his ticket to success. He’s an unconventional guy, and he had an unconventional method. It had to have been so difficult, but he quit. In hindsight, I wonder how he managed during those interim weeks we were apart. He was alone. He had no tangible support. It’s still hard for me to discern because he never talks about it. Ever. I was living alone in another geographical state, and he was living alone in a bit of a mental state. I do know he quit smoking around smokers. At that time, it was part of his occupational culture. Other than jolly ranchers, his other prime ploy was going to the designated smoking areas, and, pardon the pun, blowing smoke at his peers. He’d sit in their mist, literally, and taunt them to puff their exhaust in his face. That had to have been intense, but he says it was a way of continuing to belong within his coworkers’ inner circle.

The more time has passed, the more I appreciate the significance of his quitting. Recent google stats say seventy percent of smokers want to quit, but only six percent succeed. He’s shared he could pick up a cigarette every day. He’s shared he has to quit every day. I appreciate more and more the wider world’s smokers’ struggles in quitting, and shame on me for taking a sanctimonious stance on our second date. (I had issued him a “quit me or quit them” proclamation.)

My significant other & I are pushing sixty. We’re older. We’re wiser. We’re darn cute together, but I don’t think either one of us realized that this one single step – his compelling decision to quit smoking was, decidedly, the most important undertaking to a better life for the both of us. We’re living a happy little life in northern Mississippi, and I give him most of the credit. While he’s had a wildly successful five-year run, I’m pledging to do a better job at empathizing with those who, every day, are trying to quit.

I work at a health science center – one that includes several trauma hospitals. Ironically, there are designated outdoor smoke areas. I have a newfound compassion for most of those smokers. They deal mightily with many psychological & physiological dynamics – addiction & withdrawal. I imagine these smokers I see are also coping with a loved one’s physical suffering and pain. Why else would they openly smoke in this multi-hospital environment? I used to identify people as smokers versus nonsmokers. I used to reel from second-hand smoke. Now, because of my beloved, I just viscerally sense the second-hand struggle. For them, every day is a smoking gun. For me, every day is a frame of mind.


Jean Perdicaris Contact

Jean is the senior administrative services assistant in Student Affairs & Enrollment Services at UTHSC. She has a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and spent years as a choir director of multiple youth and adult programs. She believes her teaching background, along with decades as an active community, church, & school leader as well as a dedicated power walker, is well suited to meet the many demands of a multi-functional department. Jean grew up in Europe, Oklahoma, and Texas. She joined UTHSC in 2016 and is delighted to now call northern Mississippi home.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Favorite Summer Reads

by Lydia Ruth

For many of us, summer is the time to kick back, relax, and immerse ourselves in a new book!  I’m a pretty eclectic reader. If the writing is good, I’m not too particular about the genre.  I thought I would share some of my favorites that cover the spectrum – from non-fiction to horror and everything in between.  Whether you are looking for a good beach read or something to help you relax during your staycation, I certainly hope this list puts you on the trail of a new favorite summer read!

Mystery:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

I read this book last summer on a cruise, and I immediately fell in love with the main character, Flavia de Luce. She is a precocious, 11-year-old chemist who solves murders in the surrounding area of her family’s crumbling estate. I love the setting of the book – 1950s British countryside. The writing was excellent, the characters were quirky and unique, and the story was told in a compelling manner that made me want to keep reading!

Action/Adventure:

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

I read this book a couple of years ago when Jurassic World was released in theaters. It was the perfect book to read by the pool. If you’ve seen the movie, don’t discount reading the book. There are some startling differences that still allow for it to be a new experience. The characters and the story itself are fascinating, and the non-stop action kept me reading long into a sunburn!

Young Adult:

Lockwood & Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

I listened to this while driving to the beach on a recent vacation. Audiobooks are a great way to keep kids (and adults) occupied on long drives. The story is based on the premise that ghosts are walking the earth and some of them are very dangerous. However, only children and teenagers can see them, which means that children are basically the ghost law enforcement protecting everyone else. The story focuses around one organization and its efforts to remove a ghost from a home. The dialogue is witty, and the plot is awesome! I’m not always a big fan of Young Adult novels (they can feel like “same story, different setting” at times), but I really felt like this was a unique story that was well crafted.

Horror:

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

First, let me say. I am a total ‘fraidy cat. The movie Halloween still terrifies me if I think about it too long. However, Stephen King is one of my all-time favorite authors. I can put up with the fact that his books scare me because I love almost everything about his writing style. If you’ve ever read Dracula, then you will love this book. Stephen King loved Dracula so this is sort of like a modernized version of the classic. The story is definitely creepy, but the plot is so intriguing that you’ll want to keep reading.

Non-Fiction:

Dr. Mutter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz

I stumbled onto this book by chance while visiting a friend in Philadelphia.  I had heard about the Mutter Museum located there, but I had no idea who “Mutter” was. I wasn’t able to visit the museum, so I decided to Google him, and I stumbled across this book. It turns out he was an incredible man who was an advocate for compassionate medicine in a time where a lot of medical practices were just a few steps away from barbaric. The book follows the life of Dr. Mutter, and it reveals his impact on the world of modern medicine. Whether or not you typically gravitate towards non-fiction, this is a compelling read that shows how one man’s hard work paved the way for changes in how doctors treat patients.


LydiaLydia Ruth Contact

Lydia is a recent UT Grad working as a Business Analyst in the IRIS Department. She did an internship with Disney (no, she wasn’t Mickey, and no, she can’t get you in for free) where she gained a love for helping people, along with an inordinate number of Mickey Ears. She’s always happy to receive a book suggestion (or make one)…just don’t offer her Brussel sprouts.  She thinks they’re baby cabbages.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Book Lovers’ Favorite Books About Love

We asked the staff members of the UT Chattanooga Library to suggest their favorite books about love and romance. Ask your campus librarians if they have these titles and check them out today!

 

380994A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments, Roland Barthes (1977)

A structuralist meditation on love, in the
form of short entries, alphabetically arranged by topic. Dense with allusion and the trappings of theory, yet somehow still recognizable.


Shards_of_honor_coverShards of Honour, Lois McMaster Bujold (1986)

I read this book at least once a year. Military science fiction and romance, can’t get any better than that!

 


51bd4bLv6lL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_ZOO or Letters Not about Love, Victor Shklovsky (1923)

An epistolary novel. Exiled in Berlin, Shklovsky falls madly in love with a woman who allows him to send her letters on the sole condition that they not be about love. His constant correspondence covers topics ranging from art to philosophy to history, though his unrequited feelings are constantly bubbling under the surface.


IOAWNAT-coverIf on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, Italo Calvino (1979)

A ground-breaking, self-referential, postmodern narrative. You are one of two book lovers who develop a relationship while on a quest to find the end of a book named If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler…, which is the story of you, one of two lovers who develop a relationship while on a quest…


Madame Bovary - Gustave FlaubertMadame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert (1856)

Really more a satire of the bourgeoisie Romantic-era conception of love. Also in the running for the greatest novel ever written.

 


1412044991781Nightwood, Djuna Barnes (1936)

A modernist classic about the messy complexities of love and sexuality.

 


Nadja_livre_de_pocheNadja, Andre Breton (1928)

A foundational surrealist work that explores the tension we feel between our lover and the idea of our lover.

 


fante3.jpgAsk the Dust, John Fante (1939)

A struggling writer in Depression-era Los Angeles falls for a waitress who is in love with someone else.

 


Pride_and_PrejudicePride and Prejudice, Jane Austen (1813)

The classic love story, need I say more.

 


51G-WHFUg+L._SX320_BO1,204,203,200_Eros the Bittersweet, Anne Carson (1998)

A look at love through the eyes of the ancient Greeks.

 


41gJqsjBINL._SX338_BO1,204,203,200_On Love: A Novel, Alain de Botton (2006)

A modern take on the highs, and lows, of love.

 


51+aSQlBnYL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_Love Is a Dog from Hell, Charles Bukowski (1977)

Probably not to everyone’s taste, why because it’s poems and Bukowski, but a favorite of mine.

 


Trysting_B_Format_LoRes_RGB_120DPI-300x461Trysting, Emmanuelle Pagano (2016)

Scenes from hundreds of relationships, all genders, races, sexualities, first dates, divorces, and more.

 


For more information about these books and more, please contact Theresa Liedtka at the UTC Library.

Contact

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Anxiety and Imposter Syndrome: Perspective is Everything

by Lauren Moret

It’s not easy making a transition in your work life. All of us do it at various times in our career: take on new job responsibilities or job roles; change departments or work schedules; get behind in our work tasks and need to play catch up; or, face the well-known monster of imposter syndrome. I’ve experienced all of these concepts of change, discomfort, and insecurity over the last three years since completing a graduate program and moving to Tennessee to begin a new job in a new profession here at UT (I teach research methods on the Knoxville campus).

Since my arrival, I’ve lost countless hours of sleep worrying about if my lesson plan for the next day’s class was “good enough” or if my annual review paperwork would be formatted and provided to the tenured faculty in a way that made me look like a commodity worth keeping around in the department (Notice the language I use when talking about myself in this context. I am such a hard-working human being, so of course, I’m worth keeping around! But, the academic work environment can be tough…we are compared to colleagues, peer institutions, and regardless of the work we do with students, the pubs have to hit!). I’d like to report that these lost hours of sleep have led to greater productivity overall, but I can’t. My hours spent awake between 2-5am have led to nothing further than my binging on Netflix and Hulu. (I’m caught up on several shows now.)

Everyone should understand it is normal to feel imposter syndrome or anxious about your work. It’s a sign that you are a cut above the rest; you hold yourself to a high standard; you have expectations for yourself, and that’s ok. Many of my thoughts that make me anxious can be turned into a positive. For example, I sometimes worry about a lesson being “smart enough” for my advanced level, doctoral seminars. Now, I am eight semesters into my work at UT, and I have never had a single student complain that the content wasn’t challenging enough for them. If anything, the students show excitement by the exposure to new materials. Though I typically over plan, and we don’t cover everything assigned in the lesson, I end up leaving the students at a comfortable stopping place while giving them ideas of how they can continue their thinking and writing as they move forward.

I recently checked in with a former UT Chancellor’s Teaching Award in Excellence winner and learned that what I was doing was succession planning, which means setting students up for success in their next steps as independent scholars. Without realizing it, a concept that had made me so anxious it caused me to lose sleep turned out to be something that works in my favor, a method that supports my goal of becoming an excellent college professor. I needed a new perspective on my skills and abilities. I needed to fall back on trusting myself because I know how to do this work. I say to myself in my head, “you know this, you got this.”

I know the talking I do with myself in my own head needs to be positive and supportive, even though this is easy to forget. And while the imposter syndrome and anxiety visit from time to time, I’m getting better about acknowledging the thoughts as no more than that…just thoughts and not true descriptors about me. So now when I wake up at 2:40 am, I roll over and just go back to sleep. (Turns out, I’m a better teacher when I have a healthy night’s sleep, but that’s a conversation for another time.) You can overcome imposter syndrome and anxious feelings about the job too by believing in yourself, talking positively in your own head about the work you do, and by giving yourself the “Okay” to just be.

Header photo by Synthia Clark


MoretLauren_091014_S.Clark_125Lauren Moret Contact

Lauren Moret is an Assistant Professor in the Evaluation, Statistics, and Measurement Program with a focus on Qualitative Research Methodology. Moret is a trained conflict mediator with current research interests that include the teaching and learning practices of leaders across diversities, oppression awareness and reduction processes used in organizations, and supports for the growth of author reflexivity and transparency of the qualitative research process. She loves to cook, eat foods from many cultures, and spend time outside.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Get Inspired with Natural Environments

By Andrew Bailey

Despite working in the department of Health and Human Performance, I’m not a devoted exerciser. That feels like a dark confession in a time where physical activity is at its lowest, with the Southeastern United States reporting the least leisure time physical activity of any region in the country (c.f. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/). I feel bad about it. I wish I liked to run more, or that I could get excited about an aerobics class the way my wife does. Each time I begin a workout with the expressed intent of exercising, I find myself counting down the minutes until I can be done. Yes, I feel good afterward, but that doesn’t take away the memory of the pain I endured to get there. That memory typically prevents me from returning, at least for a while.

I suspect that I’m not alone in my distaste for working out. There is very little in a packaged workout experience that inspires me, and the goal of extending my life a few years is pretty vague and abstract to serve as a motivator. I’m the guy that personal trainers hope they never encounter.

There are, however, active things I do enjoy. I love playing outdoors. I love taking my 5-year-old daughter on hikes and looking for treasures in the form of rocks, leaves, and twigs that will inevitably end up in my pockets and in the laundry. I love taking a new way to the coffee shop and seeing a new street, and I love exploring trails, rivers, mountains, and anything else I can wander into. Because of the joy I derive from these things, I rarely notice the physical activity required to do them. When the mountains call and serious effort is required to explore a more demanding project, the inspiration typically overpowers the dread of a grueling approach. I’ve come to realize that I’m not just lazy and out of shape. I’m overworked and under-inspired.

Positive psychologists tell us that focusing on a negative behavior only induces more negative behaviors (Seligman, 2011). Asking yourself why you are so unhappy only makes you more unhappy. I believe the same is true with physical and mental health. We need to quit asking why we don’t work out more as if more time on a treadmill will solve our problems. Instead, we need to consider how to put ourselves in the path of inspiration. What sounds fun and exciting to you? What would you enjoy doing even if you weren’t counting the calories or mandated minutes of moderate exercise?

It’s true that our bodies weren’t designed to be sedentary, nor are they built to remain in climate-controlled, concrete block spaces for 95% of our day (Mayer & Frantz, 2004). Our minds function at a higher state when our bodies are active (Medina, 2014). Our bodies are most alive when the senses are engaged. Most of our built environments (classrooms and office spaces) are designed for efficiency, not for optimal human performance. Natural environments have consistently been shown to be more conducive to physical activity, to restore mental capacities depleted by work, and to reduce anxiety (Taylor & Kuo, 2009). There is something inherently inspiring, restorative, and activating about the natural world.

I will submit the idea that I’m more outdoorsy than some. The research cited, though, was not conducted on outdoorsy people. It would appear that humans have an inherent connection to the natural environment, either through having evolved in it or through a preference for living things (e.g. Biophilia).

The next time you dread the idea of trudging through another forced march, consider a change of mentality. Instead of dutifully enduring 30 minutes of vigorous activity, explore a new trail, try out paddleboarding or choose from a host of other activities that you may enjoy enough to forget about your heart rate. Walk a new, maybe longer route to the coffee shop at work, and be sure to extend it through that park a few blocks down. If your work environment isn’t conducive to short jaunts, you might get the same benefits as a weekend warrior (c.f. http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/09/health/weekend-exercise-benefits/). Let your body do what it was designed for, and put your mind in a place that nurtures it. You may find that the recommendation of 150 minutes of physical activity each week is not nearly enough of what you enjoy.

Not sure how to get started? Check out these resources for places to play outside in your community:

www.rootsrated.com

http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/

www.outdoorchattanooga.com

 

References:

Faber Taylor, A., & Kuo, F. E. (2009). Children With Attention Deficits Concentrate Better After Walk in the Park. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12(5), 402–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054708323000

Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24, 503–515.

Medina, J. (2014). Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School. Pear Press.

Seligman, M. E. . (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Free Press.


Headshot

Andrew Bailey Contact

Andrew Bailey is an assistant professor of Health and Human Performance at UT Chattanooga. His teaching and research focus on tourism, outdoor education, and the human/nature relationship. A firm believer in the need for play, and for places to play in, he advocates for parks, green space, vacation time, and other assets that promote a high quality of life. When he manages to get out of the office, you might find him biking, hiking, paddling, climbing or traveling with his wife and 5-year-old girl.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

TEDx Memphis- “Be a Daydream Believer”

by Peggy Reisser

You might not expect a department chair at an academic health science center to give a talk about daydreaming, but that’s exactly the topic Anne Zachry, Ph.D., OTR/L, chair of the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, chose when she spoke at the latest TEDx Memphis.

Dr. Anne Zachry

She said the idea for the talk came from research for her books — “Retro Baby,” a back-to-basics guide to parenting published in 2013 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and “Retro Toddler,” which is in the works.

“I kept running across content or studies that said children‘s creativity is limited,” Dr. Zachry said. “Children who have been born in the digital age have less creativity than those who were born earlier.”

She explained the hypothesis is that because there’s so much media use, children don’t have down time, and they don’t have time to daydream. “With daydreaming, they use part of their brain, the default mode network, which is also associated with creativity,” she said.

Dr. Zachry was invited to submit a proposal for the TEDx event after leaders from the College of Health Professions at UTHSC began investigating the possibility of hosting a TEDx event on campus in the future. She told the organizers she had an idea for a talk, and to let her know if they ever needed a speaker.

A few weeks later, she was on stage giving a 9-minute talk titled, “Be a Daydream Believer.

“I was so nervous, but halfway through it, the audience was listening, and by the end, I didn’t even realize I was in front of that many people,” she said. Roughly 300 packed the Rose Theatre at the University of Memphis.

Dr. Zachry said she hopes the message of her talk resonates with her students. “We need our students to be creative and spend time thinking about what life really means to you and what kind of difference you want to make in this world,” she said. “You will become more creative, because you are taking time to reflect.”


Peggy Reisser Contact
UT Heath Science Center

Peggy Reisser is a media relations and communications specialist in the Communications and Marketing Department at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC). She joined UTHSC in July 2013, after more than 25 years as a reporter, editor and department head at The Commercial Appeal in Memphis. Her reporting has ranged from business news; to general assignment, lifestyles and feature stories; to coverage of crime, law enforcement and state and federal courts. She served as an assistant features editor, and directed and managed the paper’s Lifestyles Department. She began her career at the Nashville Banner, where she was a political reporter, covering state government and the state Senate, and served as an assistant metro editor.

A graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, she is a board member of the Memphis Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Supporting your spouse with dementia starts with caring for yourself!

By Karen Rose

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2016 Facts & Figures, every 66 seconds someone in the U.S. develops this disease. The hidden heroes are the family members who support their loved ones with dementia in maintaining their independence and dignity, too often at the expense of their own health.  Below, I offer my insights for supporting a spouse with dementia—although these tips apply to supporting anyone with dementia.

  • Take care of yourself! Supporting a loved one with dementia is a hard job.  Family caregivers are known to forego their own health needs as manifested by skipping medical check-ups and failing to maintain routine self-care activities.  This likely plays a role in poor health outcomes for many family caregivers.  Make and keep the appointments you need with your healthcare provider to maintain your own health.
  • Stay connected with your social networks. Your loved one with dementia is a person who benefits from being around others to maintain their own dignity and self-worth. It may be that your loved one no longer enjoys being in big, noisy crowds—but, that doesn’t mean that smaller, more intimate social activities surrounded by loving family and friends need to be relinquished.  You need to stay connected with your friends and your loved one does, too.
  • Stay active! Regular physical exercise is good for you and for your loved one with dementia. Being outdoors, weather permitting, can have a calming effect for your loved one as the sights and sounds of nature are known to be soothing. And, there are health benefits from regular aerobic and strength-training exercises for persons with dementia, so it’s a good thing to do for everyone.
  • Get adequate rest and sleep. You cannot support your loved one if you are operating from a glass that is “half full.”  Maintaining adequate rest and sleep help support your ability to be at the top of your game.  Avoid too much caffeine and strive to maintain a regular schedule for when you go to bed and when you rise in the morning.  A routine for you and your loved one with dementia helps everyone feel well rested.
  • Ask for help. Family and friends want to help support family caregivers and aren’t always sure how to do so. Make specific requests for assistance, like picking up a prescription or going grocery shopping, as you will find that people are eager to help.  People want to help—it makes them feel good and it helps you to continue to provide support for your loved one.
  • Reexamine holiday traditions. Are you able to pare back some of the activities of your holiday traditions while still maintaining what’s important to you and your family? You may notice that your loved one with dementia becomes anxious or seems agitated when many people are around, even if the people are family members. In this case, reexamining family traditions and reframing these in ways that will not overwhelm your loved one may allow you to continue to honor family traditions in a different way.
  • Plan for the future. Now may be a good time to have meaningful conversations with your loved one with dementia and your family so that you can make plans for your future.  Working with your attorney and financial advisor will provide you with comfort in knowing your wishes for the future are carried out in the ways in which you and your loved ones want them to be.

In short, taking care of yourself is the best way to support your loved one with dementia.  There are many community resources that are available to support family caregivers and persons with dementia.  A great place to start is by contacting your local Area Agency on Aging.  Additional resources are available through the Alzheimer’s Association and through the Family Caregiver Alliance.

https://www.tn.gov/aging/article/aaad-map1

www.alz.org

www.alztennessee.org

https://www.caregiver.org/


rose_karenKaren Rose Contact
UT Knoxville

Karen Rose is the McMahan-McKinley Professor of Gerontology in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in gerontological nursing. Dr. Rose’s program of research is focused on supporting family caregivers for persons with dementia and in addressing and ameliorating neuropsychiatric behaviors in dementia. Karen enjoys traveling, hiking, doing almost anything outdoors, and spending time with her family and friends.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

The Beauty of a Tennessee Autumn

By Britton Sharp

Autumn in Tennessee is one of my favorite things. Perhaps it is because much of what we have become so accustomed to seeing around us begins to display a new brilliance. Paths we walk to our office or class begin to change, life visually is entering a new phase. Things become more vibrant and we know that a change is coming. (Even if it is still 84 degrees!)

As the seasons change, it reminds me of changes in my life. It is my belief that our lives have seasons as well- periods of new beginnings, seasons of fruitfulness, times of transition and moments of internal development.

A few years ago while I was working in Sweden, I had the opportunity to speak with one of their top botanist. We were discussing the beauty of the season of Spring in her country. She began to explain that the external beauty of Spring is only made possible due to the internal development that occurs during Winter.

The same has proven true in the many areas of my life (professionally, personally, emotionally, physically and spiritually). I have struggled when I have compared myself to those around me. However, as I look back, I see that many times I was comparing my Winter to their Spring. When we compare ourselves to others it can so often rob us of the depths of our current season. Just because my growth in an area isn’t visible, doesn’t mean it isn’t occurring. We do have the responsibility to cultivate environments of growth, but we have to realize that much like nature around us, we cannot rush it. You can yell at an apple tree all you want, but you will still have to wait for an apple.

As the season visibly changes around us, my hope is that we would be reminded of the process of growth and the seasons in our own lives, that we strive to cultivate healthy environments in all areas of our lives, but also be patient to see those areas bear fruit.

May you enjoy the beauty of a Tennessee autumn.


Britton Shaimg_0446rp Contact
UT Knoxville

Britton is an artist, writer, gardener, husband and father. When he isn’t chasing toddlers with his wife, Brooks, you can find Britton writing in a coffee shop or watercolor painting downtown. He is a regular contributor to the blogs: https://collegiateabbey.com/ and http://www.flightnetwork.com/

As vice president of the Campus Ministers Council and director of Collegiate Abbey, he works to provide self-care resources to UT Knoxville faculty and staff.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Still My Hero

By Susan Robertson

As it is with most little girls, my dad was my first hero. I am the third of four children, and I always tell people I was my dad’s son before my brother was born. He taught me to throw a baseball, punt a football and even taught me to sew a dress for my Barbie doll.

My dad passed away in September 2012, but because of his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001, we gradually said goodbye to him over the course of 11 years. I lived out of state during that time but visited my parents at least monthly. And watching my father succumb to this horrible disease was one of the most difficult things I’ve experienced.

Most often Alzheimer’s is associated with the loss of memory. I never think it is funny when someone forgets something and then jokes, “I must have Alzheimer’s.” There is nothing funny about that disease. It truly robs sufferers of everything—from memory to the ability to speak to dignity. My father’s Alzheimer’s started with paranoia—thinking people were coming into the house and changing the times on the clocks or moving things from one location to the next. That was followed by the loss of his ability to process information and although he still remembered us, he often talked about going to see his mom and dad (who had both passed years earlier).

As with most Alzheimer’s patients, my dad started to wander. He would pace endlessly around the house all day and much of the night. One night he even climbed out his bedroom window and walked more than a mile to a nearby recreation area. Thankfully, some neighbors who had gone to the area to walk the next morning spotted him and brought him home. It was after that incident that my mother had all of the windows nailed closed from the inside. She also added alarms to each entry door so dad couldn’t go outside without her knowing it; and added baby locks on the cabinets after dad ate a dishwashing tablet thinking it was candy.

Alzheimer’s caused my dad to become very childlike. He liked playing with and holding toy cars. On one visit, I was in the backyard walking around with him when he picked up an acorn and threw it at me. When I turned around, he just grinned impishly. I was crying inside, but I just had to smile because that is something my dad would have done before the disease. While dad was very different and needed around-the-clock care, he was still very much my dad.

The disease also took a toll on my mother who was dad’s caregiver. Not only was it emotional to deal with the fact that your husband of 50-plus years was no longer the same, it wore on her to have to make sure she knew where he was 24/7. One of the things I say to anybody who is a caregiver is you have to take care of yourself! Stress plays havoc with our overall health. Mom finally agreed to have a home health worker visit three days a week, and one of my sisters moved in with my parents to help care for dad. My other siblings and I gave my mom and sister breaks on the weekend so they could be away from the house while we would watch dad. It only made sense that the weekends I was visiting, I would toss the ball with dad. It was just like old times—sort of.

I wish that no one would have to deal with this disease—no individual and no family. But the truth is that today, 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s; the disease is now the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S.; and every 66 seconds someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with the disease, all according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

My paternal grandfather and my father both had Alzheimer’s, so I’ve read a lot of research about how to prevent the disease. Unfortunately, no one can pinpoint the exact cause. Researchers have identified many things such as environment, diet, etc., but currently there is no cure.

It was about 10 months before my dad passed, Christmas of 2011, when I realized for the first time he didn’t know who I was. That was extremely tough to accept, but it was not about me. My dad was very different from the man I knew as my first hero, but in my heart he was still my dad.


Susan RoberstonSusan Robertson  Contact
UT Institute for Public Service

Susan handles communications for the UT Institute for Public Service. She enjoys spending time outdoors—hiking and documenting the natural beauty of East Tennessee through photography. Susan loves watching all sports, reading, cooking and fulfilling the needs of her demanding miniature dachshund, Wrigley.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Protect Your Mental Real Estate

By Stefani Mundy

My close friend is trying to lose weight and has begun an exercise and nutrition plan. She recently referred to herself as “fat” and followed with, “And don’t say it’s not true because it is.”

With respect and love I responded, “Just because something is true, does not mean we give it power over us. Is it true you created a plan, are exercising and have lost some weight? Would you say you’re facing toward weight loss and away from former habits?”

She smiled and agreed.

“Calling yourself fat is a negative investment for you,” I continued. “Close the account on that thought. No more investing! Every time you think that negative thought, replace it with a positive truth. The positive truths are investments in the goal instead of the problem.”

Consider the mind as your most valuable asset. Stimuli are constantly fighting for precious space in your consciousness, including internal thoughts and externally spoken messages.

Thoughts as a Stock Exchange
The scrolling ticker screen at the New York Stock Exchange is a great analogy for the mind. Constantly scrolling during trading hours, human choices determine which stocks thrive and grow in our mental space. Likewise, our brains are always on, and we have the power to invest in thoughts that provide positive returns. Humans can fall prey to judgmental thinking and have what I call negative investment thoughts that create barriers to goals, relationships and life effectiveness.

Thoughts and Relationship Bankruptcy
The positive or negative thoughts we hold about others can build large accounts or cause relationship bankruptcy.

Our thinking itself can decrease the trust and intimacy with a friend, colleague or family member. Judging, making assumptions, holding grudges and replaying past wrongs are just a few examples of negative investment thinking.

Positive investment thinking in relationships includes withholding judgement, listening to understand, forgiving and offering a “tabula rasa” or blank slate. Offering a blank slate is approaching each interpersonal interaction with the mind new, unmarked or uninfluenced by past interactions or knowledge.

7-7-7 Challenge
Experts regularly suggest that building a habit takes at least 21 days. Join this 7-7-7 Challenge for 3 weeks (28 days total) by observing your internal and external dialogues.

  • Week One: Observe your “scrolling ticker screen” of thoughts for seven days. What do you think and say about yourself? Are your thoughts negative or positive investments? Try to capture thoughts and label them as negative, positive or neutral.
  • Week Two: Repeat the activity again, but this time only observe your thoughts about others.
  • Week Three: Observe your thoughts about yourself and others for seven days. Practice replacing a negative thought with a neutral or positive thought that is true. This process could be uncomfortable at first but gradually becomes a simple method to maximize the valuable real estate in your mind.

Stefani MundyStefani Mundy Contact
UT Institute for Public Service

Stefani is a UT graduate and currently works in the UT IPS Naifeh Center for Effective Leadership as a training specialist. When she’s not planning leadership training, you can find her planting flowers or brainstorming creative ideas to improve lives.

Disclaimer
Posts represent the views, expertise and recommendations of their authors and do not necessarily reflect an endorsement by the University of Tennessee. Furthermore, the content of the blog is for informational purposes only. The content of the blog is not, and is not intended to be used as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.