Most of what I teach my patients and preach on social media is methods of support for physical wellbeing, it goes hand in hand with osteopathy. Now I want to draw your attention to emotional and mental support – inspired by my personal relationships.
Anyone who comes to see me will know about Harry. My long suffering boyfriend that puts up with my long hours in the clinic, the time I spend at home using my laptop to write up notes, the late night email replies on my phone and the ‘ping’ of work-related notifications that follow us everywhere, even on holiday. My worst trait is something he calls “Hurricane Sam” and it refers to my ability to create mess as soon as I enter our home. Despite the meticulous organisation that goes into my professional life I can’t say it spills over into my personal life!
Harry is patient, he is kind, he is supportive is every way imaginable. Without his superhuman powers of cleaning, cooking, calmness and comedy I would not be able to work the hours that I do with as much passion as I do. He brings great joy and laughter into my life, which is medicine for a soul that tends to try and carry everyones burden as my own. He always knows when to keep me company and when to let me have a little space, when to listen and when to distract me from my thoughts. I couldn’t ask for a better partner to share my life with.
A patient asked me if he ever did anything that really annoyed me and I replied, “If I had to be really picky… when he puts his clothes in the laundry basket he leaves his socks balled up and his t-shirts inside his hoody.”
I count myself very lucky to have him by my side because I often hear other people describe their partner unfavourably. Emotional and mental support isn’t something you should be only seeking in an employer, but also seeking at home with the people you share your space with, or with friends. This is just a reminder to treat yourself as well as you treat others and that includes who you allow into your closest circle. Whether it be your friends or your partner – I hope you all find someone as brilliant as Harry.
Strong support systems are very important for your emotional and mental wellbeing. Anyone not bringing “Harry Qualities” to your life should have their access to your time and energy re-evaluated. Whether it be your a partner, a friend or an employer, it is within your power to change how draining a person/situation is by being brave enough to walk away.
I can’t write about the person I live with now, without also talking about who I’ve lived with before – my family. It sounds cliché, but they helped shape me into the person I am today, both professionally and personally. I am resiliant, persistant, empathetic, caring, driven, an ally, an advocate and many more things because I was lucky enough to be raised by loving parents.
My mum is usually the first family member people meet and it often answers a lot of questions about me that you had and wasn’t sure how to ask! She’s very confident, she travels the world to ref and coach lacrosse and she’s really, really organised. She also proof read my essays for 5 years, even if she didn’t understand the content. She filled my fridge with food when she came to visit, she came on nights out with my uni friends, she listened to all my panicked phonecalls (including the one about how to make perfect gravy!) My mum even volunteered to be my guinea pig for my medical acupuncture course without hesitation and is the wizard behind my tax return, sorting out my accounts and making sure everything matches up. Best of all, I know she’s got my back at all times, she’s the first person I call when I’m plan on going for an adventure and need someone equally as mad as I am to accompany me!
My dad is a little different to my mum, but if you ever meet him it’ll answer questions about me that you didn’t know you had! He’s a man of far fewer words, more of a thinker than a talker until he’s got something meaningful to say. I go to dad for my financial advice and he’s never steered me wrong. He used to sneak packets of my favourite marshmallows into my rucksack when I visited home which I wouldn’t find until I returned to London and he has been a surprising source of relationship/dating advice. When I had a paper round I admit I slacked… my dad promised he would pay me the equivelant money if I promised to quit and got a new job because he was sick of the newspapers piled in the garden… whoops! He proceeded to pay that money to help me out for a decade, which funded my phone contract the entire time. My dad is the person who, when I shared my worry about my A Level results, told me “there’s no point in being worried about the result because you can’t change it. Worrying about the result just means you suffer twice if you get a shit grade.” I’ve carried that with me since I was 17 and it served me well! The best bit about my dad? I can talk with him pretty much the same as I can with my mum. I treated him to a birthday breakfast and we talked so much we lost track of time and spent 4hrs in the cafe. It was awesome.
My brother is the enigma, not many people get to meet him because he lurks in his office working and gaming 99% of the time. Alex is the clever one, believe it or not! I had to work very hard to do well in school, but my brother is very intelligent and learns super fast. There’s 23 months between us, he’s younger than me, and we grew up more as mates than siblings. I’m thankful to have a close bond with him because many people don’t have that with their sibling; apart from a rough patch between the age of 13-16 when puberty had hit us both, we’ve stayed close. He’s got a brilliant sense of humour, and I can really count on him for support when I need it, the same way he can always count on me. He’s also the only family member who asks for osteopathic advice and actually takes it on board!
Most importantly, when I finally moved back out of London post-lockdown #1 my family welcomed me back home where I stayed for just over a year while I got my clinic up and running knowing that I would be even more difficult to live with now than I was when I was a teenager (sorry guys!) This is just a little appreciation blog to say in a very long winded way that I love you all.
It is important to add that support systems aren’t alway friends and family. They can include your pets, your personal trainer, your talking therapist, your osteopath, your massage therapist, your business mentor, or whoever else you need in your life to help you reach your life, health and business goals.
Wisbey Osteopathy 