What to expect when you're the Doctor to Be

Dear Zeek and Ophilia,

I plan on starting the DC program in a few quarters, and was wondering if you could tell me what to expect. Should I be worried? - Doctor to Be?

Dear Doctor to Be,

No doubt you’ve probably heard a lot of different things (the good, the bad, and everything in between) about the Doctor of Chiropractic program here at Life. To help alleviate some of those fears, we’ve managed to come up with a few general suggestions that might ease your transition into the program. First and foremost, put your time in! Go to class, finish assignments when they’re due, and do your best to learn the material as it’s presented to you. Waiting until the last minute to cram four or five different classes worth of material during midterm week is not only stressful but really prevents the information from being stored in your long-term memory for future classes. The Student Success Center offers tutors and supplemental instructors for the notoriously challenging courses. Also, don’t be afraid to see a professor if you feel as if you are falling behind in a class. Most of them don’t bite.

Number two. Your classmates will be your strongest allies. No one else understands exactly what you are going through. Your quarter friends will be both an emotional and academic support. If you know you are weak in a certain subject, find a friend who would be willing to study with you or organize a small study group. Study groups are a great way to relax, hang out for a bit, and get some learning in with friends (just make sure the leader of the group is motivated enough to keep everyone on task and actually knows the information!).

Number three. Upper quarter students are usually more than happy to tell you all of the horror stories of the “hard classes,” but understand that what’s difficult for one person might not be difficult for you. Just because your roommate’s girlfriend’s clinician’s roommate had trouble with anatomy doesn’t mean that you are doomed to the same fate. Try to have an optimistic outlook on the new challenges that face you, and avoid any negative expectations of impending failure simply because someone told you so.

Number four is probably one of the most overlooked. Make sure to have some fun! Take the time necessary to maintain a healthy balance between your relaxation time and the time you should be working. Your outlet can be whatever you want – mediation, taking a soothing bath, joining a sports club, or going out to the movies – just don’t forget to unwind a little. The DC curriculum is by no means easy, and if you don’t incorporate some leisure activities into your schedule, you will burn out.

And above all, take your work seriously. You will eventually be providing a healthcare service, and people will be looking to you as a doctor and educator. Your patients’ impression of you and chiropractic will rest upon your knowledge and professionalism, both of which begin right here at school. If you can keep a clear head and manage to stay on top of your tasks, there is no doubt that you will succeed.

Zeek Learly and Ophilia Paine are Life University students with absolutely no psychology credentials whatsoever.

* As printed in the February 2008 issue of Vital Source. Reprinted with permission.

I'm too old, I already have a career...

Alan Brogan & Irene Kinnair met and fell in love when they were youngsters in an orphanage together. At the ripe age of 9, Alan told Irene he was going to marry her someday. It finally happened - 50 years later. Soon after his declaration of love, Alan was moved to another orphanage and the friends lost touch with one another. Forty years later, they met again, but Alan was in a relationship. But a decade after that, fate reunited them in Sunderland, England. They were both single, and the romantic attraction was still there. Four months later, they married. "Fifty years was a long time to wait." says Alan.

Now some of you will think this is a nice, sappy story about love.

Some will consider it a story of following through on something that your heart knows to be true.

Yes, deciding to go to Chiropractic school is a big decision. But if your heart knows that you are a Chiropractor, then your decision is already made - it's just waiting for you to take action.

This may mean being separated from a spouse or family, changing careers, or getting over your fear of 'I'm too old' (*see note below). But if it is in your heart, then it is only a matter of time until you are true to yourself, or start feeling the internal consequences.


* I had a prospective student tell me she thought she was 'too old'. I know someone who followed his life-long dream (he decided in his heart to become a Chiropractor when he was 15), and graduated at the age of 47.

Dear Future Chiropractors...

This post is compliments of Dr. Mike Headlee, one of the faculty mentors in the Center for Health & Optimum Performance (public/outpatient clinic where students spend their last several quarters adjusting 'real' people).

Dear Future Chiropractors,

Here are 10 thoughts on whole living:

1. Rather than muscle through your day, take a moment to breathe.
   
2. Personal growth is a winding path. Expect to revisit the same issues – and the same mistakes.
3. Empower your decisions and your self-esteem by learning to say no.
4. Tune in to your sense of smell. It connects you to your emotions and your health.
5. Surrender isn’t about giving up. It’s about letting go.
6. Listen to your body; it knows what it needs most.
7. Balance self-improvement with self-acceptance.
8. Invest in your work space. Inspiration and fresh ideas bloom in a positive atmosphere.
9. Use your vacation as an opportunity to engage your creative side.
10. Anger is a voice of the soul. Express it, explore it, let it be heard.

Fast paced tempo seems to go hand in hand with all great success. Developing the SPEED requires that you start moving and keep moving at a steady rate. When you become an action-oriented person, you activate the “Momentum Principle” of success. This principle says that although it may take tremendous amounts of energy to overcome inertia and get going initially, it then takes far less energy to keep going. The good news is that the faster you move, the more energy you have. The faster you move, the more you get done and the more effective you feel. The faster you move, the more experience you get and the more you learn. The faster you move, the more competent and capable you become at your job. So, what are some action steps that will help you speed up?

Just Ask... what's the worst that could happen - you might make a posting on my blog

I understand that making the decision on 'what to do for the rest of your life' i.e. your career, is a big thing. You want to make sure that you'll like (or hopefully love) what you're going to be doing for the next 20-50 years, that it will provide for you financially, and that you'll make a difference. When you throw into that mix a career that requires an educational investment that may leave you with student loan amounts around $125,000, it can become a bit overwhelming.

As the pressure builds, I find that most people start to lose focus on the important questions:

1. What IS Chiropractic? What is the philosophy behind the practice of the profession?

You may not know this (yet), but Chiropractic actually deals with the nervous system, not (just) the spine/bones. It is based on the idea that the body is self-healing and self-regulating as long as there is no interference.

So what regulates & heals us... our nervous system. What can cause interference (among other things)... bones. Of course there's also thoughts, toxins & traumas, but that's another lesson. (See, I planted a seed. It will grow. You will want to learn more.)

2. What would my daily life look like, should I decide to become a _____ (Chiropractor)?

Now, please understand me, this question is certainly not asking whether you put your pants on left leg or right leg first, or what you'll eat for breakfast. What I am asking, is do you know what a Chiropractor does? Have you visited an office, observed a doctor in action, and have you been a patient, so that you know what it is like to receive care?

3. Does this career/thing/Chiropractic give me a 'spark' feeling that ignites a passion in me? Do I have the desire to serve others through healing touch? Do I crave learning more about Chiropractic?

You have to understand that this is a COMMITMENT. You cannot complete your Doctor of Chiropractic degree online, by taking 'Extension' classes, or by taking 2 days of classes a month & completing the homework. This means that you have to relocate to the area of the school of your choice, and live your life at that place for approximately the next 3 1/2 years. Most students don't work during the first year.

That brings me to questions that people considering Chiropractic as a career and/or Life University as a school. Let's just say this: this post has been based off of questions I have been asked. I have explained what Chiropractic is AFTER someone has applied for the program. Several people have become angry at me because I explain that no, they can't keep their job, continue to live in ____, and still complete the program if take internet questions and spend 2 days a month or the last 2 quarters on campus.

BUT, what I do love about these people is they ASKED a question that they did not know the answer to. And there is NEVER anything wrong with that.

You just might end up being the topic of a post on this blog.

The Blind Men & the Elephant... a.k.a. More "Miracles" - ADHD

John Godfrey Saxe's ( 1816-1887) version of the famous Indian legend, The Blind Men and the Elephant.

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approach'd the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out his eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," quoth he,
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

MORAL.

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

So now you're sitting there scratching your head, wondering what the @&$%# I'm thinking.

Before coming to Life, I worked in a Chiropractic office for 6 years and after countless times of trying to explain why Chiropractic care can enhance the body's potential, people would jump to the idea that Chiropractic 'cures' diabetes, asthma, ADHD, arthritis, ear infections, etc.

In one of my previous posts, I gave a link to a news video of a man who 'had his sight restored by a Chiropractic adjustment'. In today's post, I was going to give another link to a news report on a young girl whose ADHD was helped by Chiropractic care.

http://wbztv.com/video/?id=30936@wbz.dayport.com

In reality, we really need to keep looking for a way to talk about Chiropractic's ability to impact the nervous system, and I think the second video does a good job (although brief) of connecting a misalignment in the spine to interruption of brain function and the manifestation of a symptom.

The Power of One

I'm in a hotel room, in Savannah, GA getting ready to go set up for the first Power of One event of this new year. I traveled with the tour last year, so this should feel like old hat. But oddly, it never gets old - every city has new people, a new energy, new challenges, and a different reaction from each crowd.

So I sit here & wonder what tonight's crowd will be like at this much-hyped inaugural event of 2008. Really, I AM just sitting here wondering! And then it comes to me. It really doesn't matter, because I KNOW that this presentation with its intent & energy will touch more than one soul tonight, and that person will in turn make (at least) one tiny change in their life, and that small change will affect everyone they come into contact with, consciously or not.

Do I have goals for the event? Yes. It's a great thing when those goals are met, but I also hold an appreciation for the impact that sharing an idea with someone can create.

Ok... enough of the deep stuff.

Didn't I mention GOALS?

After each Power of One event, I return to the host city a couple of weeks later to meet with prospective students. (Did you forget this is a recruitment blog???!) In each city I visit local schools to meet with career advisors and pre-chiropractic clubs, I host drop-in "Coffee & Chiropractic Career" information sessions (sometimes lunch!), and I host a Career Night in a local Chiropractor's office.

The first two activities can be arranged by researching online, and then making a couple of phone calls or sending a few emails. The third activity is a bit more challenging to arrange.

GOAL 1: Speak with anyone & everyone who is interested in a career in Chiropractic.

GOAL 2: Meet as many Chiropractors as possible who are interested in learning more about what Life University has to offer students.

The additional benefit of meeting Goal 2 is that I find someone to host the Career Night, hence additionally supporting Goal 1.

Yeah, I know, you're wondering why I am bothering to tell you this...

If you know a Chiropractor in the area of a Power of One event, I'd love to hear from you! Send me an email, call me, or write a comment!

Thanks!

Chiropractic Adjustment Restores Man's Vision

Health Tip Of The Week... brought to you as a public service by Mike Headlee DC

According to a report on KCRG in Cedar Rapids, IA this past January, medical doctors aren't quite sure how it happened, but a man in Dubuque, Iowa can see clearly after being blind in one eye for more than a decade.

It happened after a trip to the chiropractor.

According to the news story, twelve years ago Doug Harkey's left eye suddenly stopped working. "I woke up one day and I didn't have vision in one eye."

And as quickly as he lost his sight, he got it back.

After a routine visit to Chiropractor Tim Stackis, Harkey said a miracle happened.

"My blind eye started watering after I left the office and it watered for 45 minutes straight. It started making my good eye water. I went to wipe my right eye and I could see out of my left eye again."

Doctor Stackis said, "The bones in Harkey's neck were out of alignment and that interferes with the messages and energy the brain sends down to the rest of the body."

We bring this news story to your attention for a few very good reasons:

1. A cure was not being attempted.

2. By adjusting Harkey's spine, his nerve system normalized and a body function was restored.

3. This happens during every chiropractic adjustment but the restoration of function is not always so dramatic.

4. Normal function is always preferable.


Here's what I have to say:

If you would like to see a video of the interview with Doug Harkey, please visit my Facebook page. (Chris Nadine)

This truly is an amazing story, but what I find more amazing is that it will not receive the same amount of attention as any of the daily stories of crime, death & disaster. That's a pretty sad thing when you take into consideration the law of attraction - what you focus on will come to you.

My challenge to you today, this week and this year is to focus on this positive example of the human body's unlimited potential and sharing it with as many people as possible.

"We never know how far reaching something we may think say or do today will affect the lives of millions tomorrow." - BJ Palmer

Have you heard of Robin Sharma?

Robin Sharma's Blog

The Moment of Change Posted: 05 Feb 2008 07:35 AM CST The way you behave in a single moment could change the one million moments that follow. You have an extraordinary ability to shape your future-by how you show up in the present. So I encourage you to step into your power. Refuse to make excuses for what's not working in your life. Stop blaming others for what's not world-class in your world. You have the power to create so much of what you want. Own it.

You are subscribed to email updates from Robin Sharma's Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of Robin Sharma's Blog in a feed reader. If you haven't heard of Robin Sharma before this, you should check him out - www.robinsharma.com or read any of his books - The Greatness Guide, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, Who Will Cry For You When You Die?, The Saint the Surfer & the CEO.

Indestructible

We all know the feeling - like you're at the top of the world, 1st in line, or at least your 'inbox' is empty. In that moment all is right in the world & there is a feeling that, if only for a second, you are indestructible.

It's a very telling moment about who we are deep inside. Do you relish the high of the moment, basking in your greatness? Do you try and tell as many others as possible of your greatness? Or do you truly capitalize on the your attitude and challenge yourself to see how much better it can get?

Today is one of those days for me. There's no particular reason behind it - I had a great, energizing workout, ate yummy egg bake (prepared last night & re-heated in the microwave), am sipping chai tea, and received an encouraging email from a friend who trains chiropractic assistants. I'm on that intangible high. I'll bask in it for a minute or two, but really, I want to see how long I can sustain it while reaching for a higher level.

When was your last 'high' in life? Who are the people that build you up? Do you have passion in multiple areas of your life?

If you can't remember, don't know, and think I'm crazy... are you willing to take that step & strive towards more?