Is Graduate School Right for Me?

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In educationLeave a comment

How do you know if graduate school is the “right” option for you? To be honest, this is probably one of my favorite things to discuss with students. I light up when I hear a student say, “I’ve been thinking about graduate school…”

“I’ve been thinking about graduate school, but I’m not sure where to begin.”

“I’ve been thinking about graduate school and I want to go out of state, but I’m not sure how to pay for it.”

“I’ve been thinking about graduate school and I was hoping we could meet to discuss it.”

So, I thought sharing some helpful information about how to know when you’re ready for graduate school and how to start the process could be of use to my students as well as others.

For the record, I loved both of my graduate programs. I had exceptional faculty members, who were supportive, and peers that became close friends (many of whom I’m still in touch with today). And still…

It.

Was.

Hard.

In fact, I very seriously considered quitting my doctoral program in 2017 after my dissertation proposal was denied by my committee. But I stuck with it and I graduated in 2019. And honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing, because those difficulties made me a better scholar and a more compassionate educator. So, if you’re considering graduate school (or just interested in learning more about the process), please read on.

How do I know if graduate school is right for me?

You might be considering graduate school for a variety of reasons, but there’s some clear indicators to know if graduate school is right for you. First of all, you should consider whether pursuing graduate school will help you reach your career goals. If you’re not sure, one way to check is by looking up individuals who have your dream job and viewing their credentials. If you’re not sure what your dream job is, fear not! Try looking at careers in which you could possibly see yourself. You can also search the most common career opportunities by specific degrees. For example, search “What can I do with a Master’s Degree in ______________?” and see what comes up. While this will not provide an exhaustive list (because individual career paths always vary), it can still give you an idea of the job options available with a particular degree.

The second, and perhaps most important consideration, is to ask yourself if you’re intellectually ready for graduate school. If you love learning, are enjoying (or have enjoyed) the courses in your major undergraduate program, and are looking to be challenged at a deeper intellectual level, then graduate school may be perfect for you. If this doesn’t ring true, you shouldn’t rule out graduate school completely, but you might want to take a break from school before starting a graduate program.

Graduate school is not easy. Whether you choose to engage in a graduate program at full or part time status, you can expect that it will be a demanding part of your life. If you work and/or have family commitments, you should consider whether you have the time necessary to complete a graduate program successfully. Additionally, if you’re considering seeking a graduate assistantship, you should expect your combined commitments (to your classes and research or teaching) to take up most of your time. Chances are, you will find it necessary to give up some evenings and weekends to fulfill the work necessary to complete a graduate program.

According to a report from the Council of Graduate Schools (2008), 56.6% of students who entered a doctoral program completed it within 10 years. That means 43.4% of individuals failed to complete their program. I’m not saying this to scare you away from pursuit of graduate school, but rather, to provide you with an honest and realistic account of what to expect. If you enter graduate school fully prepared for the realities of it, you will have a much greater chance of success. 

If you’ve read to this point and you’re still considering graduate school, that’s great news. Now, I’m going to shift to a discussion of how to begin your search for a graduate program and later, we’ll talk about how to begin the application process.

How do I choose what to study?

Of course, you could choose to extend your undergraduate studies directly into your graduate program. This means that if you studied Communication at an undergraduate level, you could pursue a Master’s degree in Communication as well. However, you’re not limited to this option. In fact, the possibilities for graduate study are nearly endless. It certainly helps to choose a closely related, or similar field. For instance, if your undergraduate program is in the field of social sciences (e.g., Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Leadership, Communication, etc.), then you will have a greater likelihood of acceptance into a graduate program that is also in the social sciences.

If you wish to make a more dramatic shift, it’s not impossible, though you may need to take additional classes at the undergraduate level in order to fully prepare you. Additionally, some programs have pre-testing requirements. The MCAT is specific to advanced medical degrees and the LSAT is specific to law degrees. Outside of these, many programs, today, require  GRE completion as part of the application process. Taking the appropriate test for your intended field of study is an important first step since it will help you identify programs that are available to you.

How do I choose a program?
Once you know what you want to study, you can begin looking at specific programs. If you’re open to relocating, a lot of possibilities are available to you. When I started my search for Master’s programs, I looked for opportunities both abroad and locally, so keep an open mind at this point and dream big. Look at things like the courses you will be required to take as part of the program. Do they sound interesting to you or even possibly excite you? Look at the faculty in the department and what they study. What are their most recent publications about? In most graduate programs, your advisor will closely oversee your own research, so it helps if there is at least one faculty member who studies something that is of interest to you and/or with whom you could see yourself working.

Additionally, if you are interested in being a graduate assistant, you’ll want to dig a little deeper to see if the department has offered assistantships in the past and to see what those roles entail (research or teaching). You may not be able to find this information online, so connect with someone in the department and see if it’s possible to meet with the Graduate Chair and/or current students in the program to learn more. If possible, I strongly recommend going to the campus to see the physical space and meet with some of the faculty before you even apply. However, this isn’t always an option, so meeting current students or faculty via Zoom could be a good alternative.

If you’re looking for an online degree program, or for something that offers flexibility for working professionals (like more evening classes), then consider reaching out to current students or the Graduate Coordinator (sometimes this is also the Graduate Chair and sometimes it’s a separate role). While browsing programs on the web can give you some information, like the program mission and the specific classes, it’s hard to learn much about the culture of the department without actually talking to its members. For instance, you may want to know if faculty are responsive and open to meeting with students regularly. Or, you may want to know if the students have a writing group to help support and hold each other accountable.

Overall, don’t be afraid to dig in a little deeper to learn about a program and its home department. This will be a worthwhile endeavor to help ensure you’re applying to the right program(s) for you. Additionally, inquiring and visiting with existing members could help put you on their radar, so that they’re looking for your application when it comes in, because faculty want to work with highly engaged, enthusiastic students.

When and how do I apply?

Most graduate programs begin in the fall semester (August) and have application due dates between November and February in the previous academic year. This is a strategic approach by program coordinators to help ensure their new graduate students are taking the most important introductory courses immediately. Additionally, limiting new students to a single semester can help develop student cohorts and these cohorts tend to have a higher rate of degree completion.

I usually advise students to submit applications to three different programs. Doing so will help ensure the likelihood of your acceptance to at least one program. If you’re accepted to multiple programs, you can make a decision based on additional factors like whether a graduate assistantship is being offered, appeal of the location, and so on.

While you can use the same standard cover letter for all of your applications, you should customize them for each application. For instance, be sure you mention the specific program name and the university. Beyond this, you should also name specific faculty members (at least one, but ideally up to three) with whom you could see yourself working. Support your assertions by mentioning recent publications of these faculty members that resonate with you and spark excitement at the prospect of working with them.

Who should I ask for recommendation letters?

A major component of your graduate school application is the recommendation letters. Undoubtedly, the best individuals to write your recommendations for graduate school are your current or past professors. Think about faculty members you know well and who have seen your work firsthand. It may be faculty advisors for organizations of which you’ve been a member and/or have volunteered. Additionally, you may want to ask your adviser or faculty with whom you’ve completed multiple courses. Just keep in mind that you want individuals who can speak to your best qualities, so it helps if you earned a good grade and/or completed an exceptional project. Additionally, ask well in advance to give them plenty of time. Most faculty members will not mind providing letters for multiple programs, because they just have to change the name of the university, so you can ask the same three to five people to provide letters for all of your applications.

It helps a lot if you’re organized. Specifically, know the programs to which you plan to apply and provide the list to your faculty members when you ask for their recommendation. It’s best to make such requests via email, so that there’s a record of your request (it also decreases the likelihood that your request will be forgotten during a busy day). Usually, I will ask students for their full resume and a few points that they want me to highlight (i.e., their best skills/strengths), so be prepared to provide this information. Lastly, if the timeline is tight (or even if it’s not), you may be asked to draft your own recommendation letter and then, they will edit and sign it. Just know that this is an acceptable practice and you should be prepared to do so.

Why would I want to be a graduate assistant?

There are a couple of really good reasons you may consider looking into graduate assistantships. First of all, this is a savvy way to pay for your graduate degree. Typically, a full time graduate assistant position will cover your tuition and provide a (small) stipend. You will likely be responsible to cover the cost of fees (for my program at a state college, this was about $1,000 per semester) and you will have to pay for books as well. The stipend is not usually enough to fully cover the costs of living, so you may need to find another means of covering your experiences (like living with roommates or taking out students loans).

Additionally, a graduate assistantship will provide you with valuable work experience and allow you to learn from your supervising faculty members. Assistantships are offered in one of two areas: teaching and research. For a teaching assistantship, you may be expected to teach 2-3 classes for your department each semester. For a research assistantship, you will likely be working closely with a faculty member to conduct research relevant to their area of study (e.g., writing literature reviews, writing grants, collecting data, analyzing data, writing research reports, etc.).

This real work experience is invaluable and gives you an insider’s perspective of what it’s like to work in academe. And, I have to tell you that, even though I had this huge advantage, I still had a lot to learn about my faculty role when I was hired into my current position. However, having that prior teaching experience undoubtedly gave me an advantage against other job candidates because I had already been teaching at a university. I had student evaluations to help demonstrate my competencies, had earned a teaching award, and had colleagues who could attest to my work ethic.

So, is it worth it? Overall, yes. Assistantships are demanding, and typically don’t pay very well (although they generally pay better than adjunct positions), but I was well-prepared for a career in academe. And, as an added bonus, I remain close with some of the other graduate assistants from my department – they are friends for life. Honestly, I don’t know how I would have made it through graduate school without them and sometimes I actually miss sharing an office with two other graduate assistants (I seriously had the BEST office mates)!

What happens if my application is not accepted?

Once you’ve applied, it’s just a waiting game. It will likely be a month or longer before you hear back about your application, so try to be patient. Recently I had a student who didn’t hear back about an application until late June and she needed to move across the country in order to start classes in August. If it seems like it’s been unusually long (you can check their website to see when you can expect to hear back), you can certainly reach out to the Program Coordinator to inquire about your application.

If your application is declined, it doesn’t necessarily rule the program out. If feedback about your application is provided, view it and see if the items are things that can be improved prior to the next application deadline in a year. In the meantime, you may be able to enroll as a non-degree seeking student and start taking classes in that department. Just taking one or two classes in the program before the next application cycle can help you connect with faculty and demonstrate that you are, in fact, a good candidate for the program. You can also visit with the Graduate Coordinator, Graduate Chair, and/or students already in the program to find out what you can do to potentially improve your application.

What programs do I recommend?

Students frequently ask me about the degree programs I completed because I speak so highly of them. I completed both of my graduate degrees at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Truly, it was the perfect fit for me and I’m still in contact with many of the faculty members there today. You can learn about the graduate programs offered by the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication on their website. I completed my M.S. in Leadership Education and my Ph.D. in Human Sciences with specialization in Leadership Studies.

Additionally, within my own department at the University of Nebraska – Kearney, we offer a fully online M.A. in Public Communication.

Still have questions?

Comment below or setup a time to meet with me. 🙂

P.S. Here is a very satirical (but very funny) video about pursuing a graduate degree that always makes me laugh. One of my office mates shared it with me during my first year in my doctoral program and it’s always stuck with me.

So you Want to Get a PhD in the Humanities

Photo Credits

Application Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Books Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

Graduate Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

People Working at Computers Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Woman Looking at Road Photo by Vlad Bagacian on Unsplash

References

Sowell, R., Zhang, T., & Redd, K. (2008). Analysis of baseline program data from the Ph.D. completion project. Council of

Graduate Schools. https://cgsnet.org/sites/default/files/phd_completion_attrition_baseline_program_data.pdf

Grief is a Scar

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In coping, lossLeave a comment

Please be aware that this post discusses the topics of death, grief, and loss.

To be human, is to experience loss. We cannot live or exist in this world without loss.

Most of us are familiar with the general process of and emotions related to grief. We know that it’s normal to move from denial to sadness and anger to guilt and so on; that these are “normal” emotional experiences following loss. And that, eventually, we move to acceptance.

I sincerely wish it were that simple.

In reality, the past year has taught me that grief isn’t a step-by-step process we simply move through. It’s not as though we suddenly stop being angry and then feel guilty and so on. Instead, these “phases” are intertwined and we move back and forth and sometimes experience multiple emotions at the same time. We can feel both anger and guilt, or denial and sadness in the very same moment.

Grief is like this living, breathing thing that co-exists with us. It is not a nice, tidy process that we someday emerge from saying, “ah, my grief is finally gone!”

Time does not heal all wounds. A more accurate metaphor would suggest that time allows a scar to form, which is slightly less painful and slightly more tolerable than the initial gaping wound with which the loss has left us.

Losing a sibling (or someone close to you) is unbearable. I imagine it’s a bit like losing a limb in that, you have this part of you that you rely on, that’s always there when you need it. And then one day, it’s just gone, forever.

And we think, oh my god, how will we ever survive without this?

And then, somehow, we just do.

We just survive.

We just go on living one day at a time.

We just learn to live with the giant, gaping wound of our loss.

We just learn to co-exist with our grief.

We  just learn to live with the hideous scar that has marked us for life.

This is grief, a hideous scar, for life.

For the rest of my life, every family gathering, holiday, wedding, birth, even funeral, I will think about how my brother should be here with us.

For the rest of my life, I will silently tell my brother how sorry I am that we couldn’t help him more, how I miss him all the time, and how I love him still.

For the rest of my life, I will have sleepless nights every now and then when my pillow becomes soaked with tears and I am consumed by my sadness.

For the rest of my life, I will have dreams of my brother and then awake to remember that he is gone.

For the rest of my life, I will try, patiently, to explain to people why depression is not a state of mind, but a very real disease that killed my brother.

For the rest of my life, I will carry this scar.

But carrying this scar doesn’t mean that we can’t (at least begin) to work through the complexities of our grief. It’s taken me a long time (and a lot of work) to arrive at a place where I’m finally ready to share some of my experiences of grief and mourning from this past year. For today’s post, I’m sharing some of my most meaningful encounters from Rishikesh, a place I (and many others) have come to believe is one of healing. I wrote the following paragraphs, in part, to fulfill the requirements of my continuing education for yoga teacher training.

Last October, I had the amazing opportunity to spend 10 days in Rishikesh (India). The purpose of this trip was to further advance my knowledge of yogic history and philosophy, yet my experiences were deeply healing in an unexpected way. Preceded by the sudden loss of my brother just two months before, my trip to India became a time to mourn his death and to process my own emotions of grief. I almost decided not to go after his passing (not wanting to be away from home and my family), but I could feel how much I needed space to heal. I craved quiet and stillness, time away from the demands of a new career.

Even knowing this, I’m still somewhat surprised as I reflect on the many ways that these experiences seemed to speak to and nurture my soul. It is as if the Universe heard my cries and gave me exactly what I needed to begin healing. The following pictures help to demonstrate a few of my experiences. Please excuse my ignorance and any unintended misrepresentations of culture or religion as I still have much to learn with regard to India’s history, Hinduism, and yogic philosophy.

This picture was taken at the Daksheswara Mahadev Temple (located in Haridwar) and shows a towering statue in which Lord Shiva is cradling the body of his beloved wife, Goddess Sati, after she had thrown herself into a fire. Deeply saddened by her death, he gently lifts her from the ashes and wanders the earth aimlessly for ages, refusing to let her go. As a result, there is chaos in the universe, and he cannot let go of his pain until he is finally forced to put her to rest.

This, as well as many of the other stories I learned during our visit to the sacred areas surrounding Rishikesh, allowed me to recognize that holding onto my brother, as Lord Shiva held onto Sati, is not healthy. This is not how we are meant to live. We are meant to mourn when we have losses, to be sad in those moments, and then to begin the work of moving forward. This, perhaps, sounds much more simplistic than the deep sense of knowing that resonated with me after hearing Shiva’s story, but it was as if I suddenly knew that I needed to begin the work of moving through my grief. I think this reflects important yogic principles related to impermanence, such as aparigraha (nonpossessiveness), santosha (contentment), and ishvara pranidhana (surrender).

This waterfall picture was taken in the Tehri Garhwal district, which is settled in an area at the base of the Himalayas. Beginning at the Kunjapuri Temple, where we had meditated at sunrise, we hiked down the winding terrain of the mountain (approximately three miles straight down, but my Fitbit logged more than seven miles all total). The hike was difficult as there was not a clear path in many areas. Where there was a designated path, it was often covered in small white stones that acted like gravel under foot. Perhaps as many as 10 times, I found that I had landed with a quick thud as my feet slid out from under me (I found several bruises on my back side over the next few days).
 

Our progress was slow, and in the heat of the sun directly overhead, I found myself near tears at times. I felt frustrated, wondering why I had opted to go on this torturous hike, when what I probably really needed was some rest. Then, at maybe two-thirds of the way down the mountain, I saw a small black butterfly on the path just ahead. The day we discovered that my brother had passed, a tiny black butterfly had perched on my dad’s shoulder while we cried together.

I immediately felt a sense of calm and my inner frustrations quieted. As I continued down the mountain, many more black butterflies crossed my path. When we finally reached the base, a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall awaited and it felt like the whole journey had been worth it. This experience echoes other yogic principles of understanding that life is a process, such as brahmacharya (nonexcess) and tapas (self-discipline). There will be hardship and moments when we must endure pain, but there will also moments of joy, comfort, and accomplishment.

This photo depicts the giant Shiva statue that sits on the banks of the Ganga (Ganges) River at Parnath Niketan in Rishikesh. Our lovely tour guide, Pankaj, told me that the statue floated several miles down the river during major flooding a few years back (here’s some news coverage about it). Amazingly, the statue was undamaged and successfully recovered, putting it back in its rightful place; at home in Rishikesh. I noticed that the base appeared to have been reinforced in an effort to avoid this from happening again. However, I had the clear sense from Pankaj that if flooding were to happen again, they would simply pull the statue back up the river once more.

This story has really stuck with me and every time I see a picture of Shiva, I think about the statue in Rishikesh. To me, this is a story about resiliency. We will never be capable of preventing the flood waters from coming, or of planning for every potential tragedy. And, to be clear, there will be tragedy – because that is the human experience. But, we can learn to take things in stride. We can weather the storm and pick ourselves back up. We can come home or create a home or be a home for those around us. For me, this most strongly represents the practice of ahimsa (nonviolence) through self-love and compassion for others, but also clearly reflects ishvara pranidhana (surrender) through acceptance.

The final picture I’m including here was taken on Dewali. It was the final night we were in Rishikesh. After having gorged ourselves with delicious food, including many sweets, and having lit a large number of fireworks along with our hotel family and Pankaj, we ventured out to wander around Rishikesh. Many people were still lighting fireworks all over town and the air smelled of sulfur. A thick haze of smoke settled like dense fog. Eventually, we made our way into the Parnath Niketan where Ganga Aarti takes place. At this late hour, it was virtually empty with the exception of a few sleeping people and a priest who watches over the premises (it is my understanding that the area is never closed).

We sat quietly on the banks of the Ganga, taking in the quiet, though we could still hear the infrequent drumming of fireworks in the distance. I was rather surprised when the priest suddenly appeared to us and lit a small firework that spritzed white light into the air like a fountain. Then, he simply retreated to his quarters just as suddenly as he had arrived, without saying a word. I smiled to myself, noticing how much joy this simple act had brought me. I have always loved fireworks and counted down the days to July 4th as a child, excitedly awaiting their annual return. In that moment, it was as though I reached back to a former part of myself. I felt incredibly at home, at ease, in Rishikesh.

I was saddened to leave the next day, my eyes welling with tears as we piled into the car. I feared that I would lose that sense of peace and ease and of being home after leaving Rishikesh. But Rishikesh is something that I think sticks with you, if you allow it. My experiences in Rishikesh deeply changed me. Maybe it was the timing, as I doubt I would have understood my experiences in the same way had they not followed so closely to my brother’s death. For me, the process was like gathering all of the scattered pieces of myself – my broken and wounded self – in order to begin putting myself back together, though undoubtedly changed forever. In this way, it was reflective of saucha (purity). 

There is no doubt in my mind that deep loss is a scar we will carry for life. Despite this truth, I believe we can put ourselves back together; we can begin to work through our grief, if we are willing. Though we are changed, we will survive. And, sometimes, we will even emerge stronger.

I wish you peace and healing in whatever loss you may be experiencing at this moment, may you find your sense of home wherever you are.

With so much love,

Tiff

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

Heart shape in tree bark photo by Christopher Paul High on Unsplash

All remaining photos were taken by the author

A Request for Stories About Coping

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hello Friends,

I have the great privilege of teaching a special topics course in the fall semester about the ways that humans use communication to cope with loss and trauma. I am asking all of you bright and lovely people to help me locate stories that will help enhance the richness of our course.

Please suggest any stories you know that have lessons related to coping (e.g., hardship, adversity, resiliency, overcoming loss, etc.). I am primarily interested in collecting narratives (self-told stories) and myths or legends (stories about others that provide meaning). Additionally, stories from all cultural and religious contexts are encouraged. Even if you don’t know where to find or purchase the book or whether it’s been translated, please suggest it and I will look into it!

I have a few stories in mind already and a lot of the theoretical and methodological work that we will be covering. However,  I would love to include several exemplar stories as options for us to analyze during our class. You’re input would be greatly appreciated – thank you in advance! Please comment below or email me!

All my best,

Tiff

Resilience

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In coping, healthy coping, mental health care, resilience, self-care, self-help2 Comments

For the past couple of weeks now, I’ve had this word – resilience – bouncing around in my head.

To me, it seems clear that humans are wired to be resilient. We are survivors.

Let me give you an example.

Every semester, I teach a basic public speaking skills course and I frequently give this talk about how it’s normal to feel nervous before giving a speech. In fact, you’ve probably heard the reference to Jerry Seinfeld’s joke about people being more afraid of public speaking than they are of dying (and that’s actually true).

Your palms may get sweaty, your heart may race, your mouth may feel dry. These are all things that commonly happen when adrenaline is pumping through our veins. But why is it that something like simply giving a speech can cause an increase in adrenaline?

Adrenaline is our body’s physiological response to fear. When our brain tells our body that it perceives a threat – even if that perceived threat is giving a speech – our body’s response is to produce adrenaline. It gives us the stamina needed to cope with the perceived threat.

It’s our fight or flight mechanism. It’s a survival instinct.

It’s the same instinct that has allowed humans to lift cars off of their children or to outrun predators or fight back in order to survive.

Humans are survivors; we’re literally built for it. We’re resilient.

You may think I’m overdramatizing the current situation by drawing a comparison to the stress we are facing today with life-threatening situations, and the truth is, you might be right. My point here isn’t to debate how real the threat is. It’s about the perceived reality that we are all living; the immense stress under which many people are simply trying to survive.

In the past few days, I have had multiple students disclose varying degrees of mental distress, including panic attacks, loss of time, and general anxiety. I have heard many of the same stories over and over again about how much more work is involved in online coursework, how they are concerned about their ability to pay rent, how they are worried about their leases ending and not having a plan in place for moving, and how they feel incredibly alone in all of this. They’re stressed – to say the least – and so am I.

If you’re like me and you’re fortunate enough to be able to work from home, you may be feeling a bit less stressed than those who are currently out of work or those who must continue doing jobs that are essential, despite the potential risk.

And, to be clear, I really do consider myself fortunate. However, that doesn’t mean the situation is ideal. As many of you are probably finding out, teaching (or working) online requires a lot more effort. And spending most of the day in Zoom meetings can be really draining (here’s a great article that helps explain why). Add to this the fact that most of us don’t have all of the technology needed to operate well from home (I’ve crashed my Surface twice already) and you can begin to understand why it’s not really all that simple – for faculty, for students, and for others attempting to work from home.

The focus of today’s post is on offering some tips for coping with stress beyond simply surviving — in other words, how to be resilient. Some of these things have worked well for me and some are based on the ideas of others. As always, take what works for you and feel free to leave the rest. I hope you find some peace in all of this chaos.

Maintain connections. People are meant to be connected with others. It’s important to be a part of a community (or many communities) by staying connected with friends and family. While the physical isolation is a necessary precaution most of us are living, there are some ways to maintain relationships despite the physical distance. Schedule social events via Zoom (or FaceTime or House Party or another app) with friends or family. You can virtually meet with others for a coffee date or cocktails and simply catch up with each other. While it may not be at your favorite venue, the perks are that you can wear your favorite comfy cloths and you don’t need to find a babysitter (if you have tiny humans running around).

tilt shift photography of green mailbox

You could also go old school and actually take the time to pen a note and mail (yes, snail mail) someone a letter or card. You don’t even have to come up with something novel to say – you can copy down a favorite poem or quote or just write in giant letters, “I MISS YOU,” or sketch something or draw a doodle. The point is, most people (like pretty much every human I know) loves to feel like someone cares about them, and knowing you were thinking of them enough to send something through the mail will probably make their day.  

If you’re lucky enough to share your living space with others, simply being present doesn’t always translate to feeling connected with these individuals. Many of us live with children or elders or other roommates who are important to us, but may in some ways interrupt our ability to nurture relationships with others, especially partners. If you find yourself here, I know it’s hard. Be patient, things will return to normal eventually. In the meantime, try sending a text to the person across the room that says, “I was just thinking about you,” or “I love you,” or just “Hi :).” Try to take time to be alone with your partner if and when it’s possible, maybe early in the morning or late at night. Go for a walk together, watch a movie in bed (even if it’s just on your laptop), make a meal together, have a conversation. Leave notes for your partner where you know they will find them (like on their pillow or in their coat pocket). Be kind to each other.

Take time for wellness. I know I talk about this a lot, but it’s because I think it’s really important. This could be a great time to practice learning to listen to your body and what you need. Take breaks from work as often as you need them. I’m guilty of totally skipping meals because I’m so focused on what I’m doing, which is terrible for our bodies. If you find that you’re not great at taking breaks throughout the day, schedule them into your day or set an alarm (maybe every hour) to get up and stretch. Try to stay physically active by going for walks or doing home-based workouts (there are literally hundreds available for free on YouTube, including this restorative yoga video I made).

woman doing yoga meditation on brown parquet flooring

If you’re spending more time at home than usual, you may want to try out some new (or old) approaches for developing your own mindfulness practice, such as meditating, journaling, drawing, painting, etc. All of these practices can be great for helping manage anxiety, and you may just find you actually enjoy doing them. Take time to do things that bring you some joy. I’ve started baking again for the first time in years and it’s been fun. When I’m stressed, I sometimes find it difficult to focus on a task that requires a lot of mental energy like grading or writing, but baking (or organizing, or cleaning, or sorting, or whatever) can be an activity that allows me to feel productive without using a lot of mental energy (because I bake simple things like scones – this is totally not a home version of Nailed It!).

Getting adequate sleep is also really important, especially when we’re mentally stressed. If you are able to work from home, consider starting your day a little later than you typically would. To me, there’s nothing wrong with sleeping in a bit – it’s one of the perks of working from home and making your own schedule. If you find that you struggle to fall asleep at night, developing a bedtime routine can help you wind down. It may involve taking a bath, reading a book, turning down the lights, and limiting your phone use after a certain time. Again, do what works for you – no one knows you better than yourself.

Practice flexibility and adaptability. When there are so many unknown factors – like when social isolation will no longer be necessary, when a vaccine will be available, how our economy will recover, when we will be able to travel again – it’s important to keep an open mind and to practice flexibility. While it’s not easy to do, managing our expectations – as in, not having specific expectations about how or when things will change – can help us maintain a more positive outlook.

Additionally, realizing that even our day-to-day plans may falter under these circumstances and becoming adaptable  can help us develop greater resiliency. In a recent meeting (online, of course) with students in my research methods course, I encouraged students to take the path of least resistance in completing the course (let me clarify that this is not something I would typically say under normal circumstances). While I realize some of them had impressive plans for the remaining assignments, I wanted them to know that scaling back in order to better manage their time to complete their assignments (in my class as well as others) is completely okay.

The same is true for all of us. You may have had an awesome project planned for your students, or intended to work on a research proposal or to develop a new class, or maybe you were planning your wedding or graduation, or something else very meaningful, but it’s okay to let go of some of our expectations for right now. It’s okay to lessen the pressure we’ve put on ourselves. It is not a failure to do so, it is the ability to adapt under extraordinary circumstances. And, it doesn’t mean we must let go of that expectation altogether – we can simply put it on hold until later.

I encourage you to have compassion with yourself and with others.

Show some emotion. I realize that we live in a culture that does not often embrace the expression of emotion. In fact, after years of working in retail and being told that I needed to “grow a thicker skin,” I am now working to undo much of that effort and to become more in touch with my own emotions. Allowing ourselves to feel our emotions – anger, sadness, frustration, fear – is vital to our ability to process this event. We are not robots and we were not designed to subdue our emotions. We are allowed to feel bothered by the events we are experiencing because they are bothersome.

woman touch rainy glass

I encourage you to acknowledge and allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling about these current circumstances. Take the time you need to be sad or fearful or angry, and then, move forward. At the same time, I also encourage you to find joy whenever possible – perhaps in the fact that you can wear yoga clothes all day and you don’t have to put on shoes! (those are mine 🙂 ) – and to laugh when there is nothing else to be done. Realize that technology will fail sometimes. You may get kicked out of Zoom in the middle of your class or someone may flush the toilet in the room next to you when you’re talking to a student, and it’s okay. Laugh at the circumstances, at yourself, at life, and know that you are not in this alone in this.

Reach out for support. I know I’ve said this before, but if you find that you are unable to manage your stress on your own or if you fear that you could possibly harm yourself or others, please reach out for help. Many therapists are working from home at this time (including mine) and many are accepting new patients. While this may not seem ideal, there is a benefit to being able to chat with someone from the comfort of your own home. Please know that it is okay to lean on others when you are struggling. Sometimes just venting or talking through something can bring a lot of relief and I encourage you to reach out to a friend, family member, other trusted individual, or mental healthcare professional for help if you need it.

hands formed together with red heart paint

I hope you found some of these insights of use. Above all, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of showing compassion to others as well as yourself.

With much love,

Tiff

References

American Psychological Association. (2020). Building your resilience. Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Coping with Stress. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/copingwith-stresstips.html

Mayo Clinic. (2020). Resilience: Build skills to endure hardship. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Retrieved April 14, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/resilience-training/in-depth/resilience/art-20046311

Photo Credits

Cover Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

Mailboxes Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

Woman Doing Yoga Meditation Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

Woman Touching Rainy Glass Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

Hands With Red Paint Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

A Lifetime’s Worth of Experiences

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Please be aware that this content discusses the subject of death, which may be a trigger for some people.

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, I recently experienced the unexpected loss of my young, 25-year-old brother, Alex. Since then, I haven’t felt much like writing. And, if I’m being completely honest, there were days that I didn’t feel much like living.

Today, I’m in a more peaceful state; filled with hope and a sense of purpose. This road hasn’t been easy and it’s not over. To some extent, I know I will always mourn the loss of my brother. I will always notice his absence at holidays, think of calling him and then remember he’s gone, relive the dreadful days that followed his death.

When he died, I felt like a part of me died too. And, I wondered if I would always feel this death within myself. What I’ve come to realize in the last few weeks is that this part of me can heal. It’s not that I will ever be exactly the same again, but I will be whole again.

So, I’m writing to you today to let you know that I will be back to writing again soon. I have so much to share – so many experiences – and I believe that every experience deserves to have its story told.

In the past year, I feel like I’ve consumed a lifetime’s worth of experiences. I began a career path in consulting, completed yoga training and started teaching yoga, lost my grandfather, wrote my dissertation, survived an attack, defended my dissertation and graduated, started a different career path as a full time faculty member, lost my brother, went to India – and that’s not even all of it.

I’m not the same person I was one year ago and I’m okay with that. So much has changed, it’s hard to imagine being that person anymore — it’s as if it’s hard to reconcile those two halves of myself as part of the same identity. I have more peace, more confidence, more assurance of my purpose, more empathy, more compassion; I don’t want to go back. I’m grateful for my experiences because they’ve shaped me into the person I’m becoming.

I recently shared this quote with one of my yoga classes and it’s becoming a sort of mantra for me:

“If you are grateful for where you are,

you gotta respect the road that got you there.”

 -Cleo Wade

I will leave you with this thought today, but know that I will be back soon with many stories to tell.

In the meantime and as promised, here is the link my dissertation free of charge (though you shouldn’t feel an obligation to read it – do what you wish!): “I Will Be the Leader”… If you just want to skip ahead to the stories, go straight to Chapter 4, which starts on page 73 (page 87 of the pdf).

With love,

Tiff

Photo Credit:

Yellow Butterfly, Photo by José Ignacio García Zajaczkowski on Unsplash

Facing Down Fear

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In Uncategorized4 Comments

Due to violent content, please be advised that this material could be a trigger for some people.

It was just over four weeks ago that I was attacked while I was out for a run.

I’m okay.

This was scary — very scary — but I walked away virtually unharmed. I had a fat lip and a sore shoulder for a few days.

I’m still finding it hard to believe that this happened to me and that I was fortunate enough to just walk away.

The perpetrator of this crime is currently in jail. The intent of this post is not to talk about him, but rather to share how I think being prepared for something like this is exactly the reason that I am okay.

(If you really want to read up on the case, you can view the local news report here)

Writing this post has been more difficult than I anticipated it would be. It’s a bit like tearing off the scab on a wound. After finally starting to sleep well again, I’ve begun having nightmares since starting this post. A very good friend pointed out that this may be a sign that I’m not ready to write about the event yet, and I agree. However, I also think writing about this could be therapeutic for me. And part of me feels like if I don’t write it now, I likely never will.

The purpose of this post is to share what I think helped me so that others can, perhaps, learn from my experience. Doing this would be quite difficult without actually discussing the details of the event. That said, I’m going to give you a full run down from start to finish with the details I think are most important to include. Then, I’ll get into some advice based on this experience and the advice of others.

Before I begin, I want to be really clear about the fact that the content I’m including here is not at all intended as a guide for preventing bad things from happening. We all know that’s not possible. Life is unpredictable and scary things happen all of the time, even in places we don’t expect them. My goal here is to help us all be a little bit better prepared in the event that something does happen. While my hope is that you never have an experience like this, I believe having this knowledge for yourself or for a friend could be potentially meaningful.

In the summer months, I prefer to run after dark because it’s generally too hot to run safely in the heat of the day. I know I will be criticized for this, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with running after dark (and I still don’t). It’s really normal for me to go out between 9 and 9:30pm, once the sun has set, and run for 60-90 minutes. In fact, I’ve walked this same route a few times since the incident at approximately the same time of day (with a partner) and have found that there are (still) a lot of other people out walking or running or biking at this time of night.

The trails I run and the neighborhood around my house are mostly well lit and well populated areas. I’ve run this particular trail hundreds of times and I am always very aware of my surroundings. I keep my music turned down at a low volume so that I can hear what’s happening around me. I notice if something’s different or out of the ordinary (for instance, if there’s new construction or if a house has recently been painted). There are a couple of spots on this trail that are more remote and hidden from the view of houses and roadways where I always have my phone out and ready to dial for help if needed. (Because I’m kind of a cautious person.)

On the day this occurred, I had been out for about an hour and was only a block from returning to my house. I was cooling down, so I was walking at this point. I heard a bike come up behind me and I stepped to the right side of the sidewalk so they could pass. I turned and looked over my left shoulder to acknowledge the person (because I always do) and I was thinking to myself something along the lines of, “Oh, it’s just a kid on a bike.” I didn’t perceive this person as a threat even after I noticed him behind me.

As I was looking at him, he extended his right arm out and hooked it around my neck. He threw his body onto me, knocking me to the ground and trapping me underneath of him. It’s so strange to write out the details of this sequence now — as in, how was this physically possible? It was so fluid — it was as if it happened in slow motion.

Even as my body hit the ground, my brain couldn’t comprehend what was happening to me. I kept thinking, “You could be a student in one of my classes, what are you doing?” Thankfully, my body began reacting well before my brain caught up and I started screaming for help immediately. He shoved my face into the ground and threatened to kill me if I wasn’t quiet. This resulted in me throwing my head back and screaming as loudly as I could. He kept trying to cover my mouth to quiet me, so I kept moving my head and biting his hand whenever I had the chance.

When I run at night, I always carry pepper spray (strapped to my wrist). Unfortunately, my hands were still pinned underneath of me, so I couldn’t get to it. And honestly, even if I could, he was in such close proximity that it would have sprayed us both. All I could do was kick and try to get enough leverage behind my elbows to jab him in the ribs. I kept trying to throw my weight to one side so that I could roll out from under him, all the while still screaming at the top of my lungs.

I’m not entirely sure if he realized he was losing the battle or if the sound of neighbors scared him off, but moments after the whole thing started he was back on his bike and riding away. I immediately ran to the first house I saw with a porch light on and began ringing the doorbell. I went to dial the police and realized that I had his cell phone and pocket knife in my hands. Somehow, they had been lost in the scuffle. I dialed the police from my phone and while talking to the dispatcher (who was practically gleeful that I had his phone), neighbors began coming out of their houses. Several of them waited with me until the police arrived and even gave statements (though none of them had actually seen him or the incident, unfortunately).

The police arrived in less than five minutes. One of them drove me to the station to give my statement and to be photographed. Coincidently, after only a few minutes at the police station, a call came in reporting that the alleged perpetrator had gone back to the scene and was looking for his cell phone. One of my attentive neighbors was kind enough to call the police and my attacker was arrested that evening.

The whole thing from start to end was only about an hour.

I didn’t sleep much that night, or the next few nights. I’m mostly back to sleeping well now, but still have nightmares some nights. I will talk later about some of my coping strategies and how I’m handling the situation currently, but I want to first outline the things that I think are most important in terms of being proactive and protecting ourselves:

Be aware of your surroundings. Know where you are and be attentive to what’s happening around you. I LOVE loud music (as in, love when you can actually feel the vibrations in the things around you), but when you’re running outdoors you have to be able to hear when someone is nearby. So, leave your headphones at home or have them turned down low enough that you can hear when people are across the street or coming up behind you. If you notice a situation that seems off (like someone who might be following you), text a friend, get off the trail you’re on, and/or go to a populated area (such as a water fountain at a park). The most important thing is to get to a safe place.

Choose ideal areas. I prefer the trails I run because they are well maintained and have a good amount of foot traffic. It’s also important to consider things like good lighting (especially if you’re running after dark or under bridges). If you’re trying out a new trail or path for the first time, consider going with a partner (or even using an app that maps the path for you) so that you will have some familiarity with the area when you’re out on your own. I also prefer areas that are not as noisy due to nearby traffic or trains because it makes it easier to hear when someone is coming up from behind. I realize this may not be possible in all cases, but I generally look for more residential areas to run. 

Bring your phone. Always have your phone with you.  If you don’t want to be disturbed while you’re out, there is an awesome feature (on most phones) called “Do Not Disturb” that you can turn on while you’re out. Also, most leggings have a built-in side pocket for your phone now and if you don’t wear leggings, you can buy an arm band on Amazon for like $10 (there are a lot of other great options out there as well). Even if you don’t think you would ever need a phone for yourself, imagine coming upon someone else who could be injured and in need of help. Do you really want to run all the way home to call for help and leave that poor person alone and injured? No. So just bring your phone. 🙂

Consider running with others. I actually enjoy running alone so I feel personally conflicted about this point. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind running with others, then this is clearly a great option. For now, I’m walking with a partner when I go out after dark (because apparently none of my friends are fans of running). If you have a dog, running with your dog could be another great alternative. I considered adopting a dog for about 5 seconds and then remembered that dogs are a huge responsibility and that my cats would likely murder me in my sleep. So I’m remaining dog-less (at least for now).

Learn some self-defense basics. I was fortunate enough to have taken some basic self-defense training in the past as a job requirement (this was prior to my faculty position and totally unrelated to my current work). I also grew up in a household where I was taught to be mindful about parking under a street lamp and having my keys out and in my hand so they could be used as a weapon if needed. I am certain that all of this knowledge stuck somewhere in my brain and assisted in my quick reaction to this situation. The main point here is to educate yourself and to be aware of potential risks.

Select options that work for you. There isn’t really a perfect formula in terms of what works best in every instance. Again, the point of this post is not to prevent all potential bad scenarios from occurring because that’s not reasonable (we can’t live in bubbles). I had pepper spray with me and it was completely useless in this case. I’ve had some people recommend that I carry a gun. In this exact scenario, my attacker could have reached for it more quickly than me because I was pinned to the ground by the time I realized I was in danger. At the end of the day, the methods you choose to be proactive and to protect yourself are completely up to you. You have to be comfortable with the tools you choose because you’re the one that will be using them. For me, the most valuable things I have taken from this experience are education (e.g., how to defend yourself) and awareness (e.g., being in tune to what’s going on around you).

Lessons on being a good neighbor. There is a lot to be said for good neighbors and I am incredibly grateful to my neighbors who heard me that night. Since then, some of my neighbors have even mentioned that they are now keeping their porch lights on because that’s what drew me to the house I initially sought for safety. This experience has taught me the importance of being a good neighbor as well. It may be through keeping the porch light on, or checking things out when you hear a commotion outside (even if you think it’s probably just some kids messing around), or just mentioning to your neighbors when you see something out of the ordinary in your area. We all have the opportunity to be good neighbors simply by being vigilant and supportive members of the communities in which we live.

An honest reflection on coping and moving forward. Since this event, things have mostly returned to normal. I (successfully) defended my dissertation as planned which occurred only about a week after the attack (though I did briefly consider postponing my defense). I found it difficult to focus in the immediate days after the event, but I think part of that was the result of lack of sleep. My fat lip and bruised shoulder have fully healed, but I think the psychological impacts will take a bit of time.

I have moments of complete panic that I have never experienced previously. I have fear that I have never had before. Sometimes a thought flashes through my brain and I remember, “I thought I might die.” I know this is my way of processing this experience and that I will heal. And, I know healing will take time.

I’ve spoken openly about the event with family members and friends. I’ve gone back out running and I have taken the same route several times since the attack. I’m using my personal yoga practice as well as the classes that I teach as opportunities to practice being present in the moment and to find some inner peace.

Today, I’m writing about this event and sharing it with all of you. In the coming days, I’m going to look for a trauma counselor because I think talking to a professional could be helpful. For now, I’m trying to give myself some grace by allowing myself to feel sad or scared when those emotions arise and by giving myself plenty of time to process this event. And, I’m reminding myself that I survived and that I will be okay.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

With love,

Tiff

References

Pinola, M. (2011). Basic self-defense moves anyone can do (and everyone should know). Retrieved August 9, 2019 from https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a27559884/running-safety/

Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). (2019). Education: RRCA general running safety tips. Retrieved August 9, 2019 from https://www.rrca.org/education/rrca-general-running-safety-tips

Spector, N. (2018). Scared to run alone? Women runners share their best safety tips. Retrieved August 9, 2019 from https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/scared-run-alone-female-runners-share-how-they-stay-safe-ncna935186

Triola, P. (2019). The best safety tips for running on the roads or trails. Retrieved August 9, 2019 from https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/a27559884/running-safety/

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

Person walking on fire. Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash

People running and walking. Photo by Chanan Greenblatt on Unsplash

Man and woman jogging on bridge. Photo by Curtis MacNewton on Unsplash

Two bicycles near a house. Photo by Christopher Harris on Unsplash

New Content Coming Soon…

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

Hello, Friends!

I just wanted to post a quick update to let you know how much I have missed writing for this page (and that I haven’t forgotten about you)! Over the past few months, I have fully committed myself to my dissertation in an attempt to graduate in August and it’s paid off. I successfully defended my dissertation on Monday as I was surrounded by my committee members and several people who came to show their support and love. I have recently come to realize just how large my support network truly is, and my heart is overflowing.

In addition to graduating, I have also accepted a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Nebraska – Kearney (which is practically next door). I hadn’t planned on finding a position in academia and intended instead to pursue independent consulting full time this fall. However, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect fit and I am so excited to be starting in just a few short weeks at UNK.

Between now and August 1st, I will be making some additional edits to my dissertation prior to submitting the final (final) draft for publication to our university’s online database. (I’ll be sure to post the link just in case you’re dying to read it, but no pressure.) Once that’s complete, I am designating some time to post new content to this site and I honestly can’t wait. Here’s some teasers for upcoming posts you can expect:

  • Facing Down Fears (I’ll be talking about a terrifying incident that happened to me in the recent past, how I think being prepared helped me, and what I’m doing now — plus, some practices I think we should all adopt)
  • Surviving a Season of Stress (This will be all about the strategies I used to make it through writing my dissertation and preparing to defend it, making it through 16-hour workdays when necessary, and taking time for self-care when possible)
  • Job Searching for the Right Fit (This will outline what I look for in a job posting before I even consider applying for it and how I customize my application materials to help ensure I get a request for an interview)

Of course, I have about a hundred other ideas floating around in my head but let’s save those for later. That reminds me — if you have a topic that you would like to see me write about, please feel free to reply in the comments section here or send me a quick email. I love to hear from you all and the worst thing I could possibly say is no, so why not?

Okay, that’s all for now but I’ll be back soon. 🙂 I hope you are taking some time for yourself to enjoy the remaining days of summer and to find some inner peace.

With love,
Tiff

Photo Credit:

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Letting Go

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In Uncategorized4 Comments

I’m writing this blog today as a tribute to my late grandfather, Ralph W. Luethke, whose beautiful soul left our world last week. Although different from my previous blogs, and perhaps unconventional, I’m posting this here because in so many ways, my grandfather embodied the type of leader I aspire to be.

Loss is painful.

We all experience loss at different points throughout life. Sometimes loss comes in the form of a job or a relationship, maybe it’s the place we’ve come to know and love when we relocate across town or across the world. Loss is a necessary part of our life experiences and even though it’s painful, it can be positive (e.g., the end of an unhealthy relationship).

The loss of someone we love touches the depths of our souls. There’s nothing like it. It breaks our hearts and leaves a lasting impact; we are forever changed.

I cannot iterate strongly enough the importance of having a support network, a village, a tribe to lean on in these times. Whether it is one person or many, this community is what will help us survive the loss. It is part of the mourning process to be together, to experience this loss together, to cry together, and in moments of rarity, even laugh together.

Over the past several days, I have been surrounded by those who loved my grandfather and those who undoubtedly love me. We share in this loss. The nuanced meaning of a hand on one’s shoulder is pure comfort. The connection between tearful eyes says, “I know this hurts right now, but we’re all going to be okay.”

In these moments, I find that I feel astonishingly fortunate despite the pain I am experiencing. It is a gift to be surrounded by so much love and support. Even though my heart is breaking, I know without doubt that I will be okay; we will heal from this loss although we will be changed.

When you experience loss – whether it’s right now or sometime in the future – I encourage you to reach out to those around you. Lean on the people who love you and allow them to help you heal.

The next several lines are written as a sort of letter to my grandfather. They read a bit more like a poem, though I didn’t pay particular attention to cadence or the number of syllables in each line, etc. As you read these words, I hope you might find a sense of comfort or inspiration. Thank you for taking the time to read today’s post.

With love,

Tiff

_______

I have always admired you.

In so many ways, I have aspired to be just like you.

You shared with me your unquenchable thirst for knowledge and endless sense of curiosity.

You saw beauty in all things, whether behind the lens of a camera or in giving refuge to the discarded treasure of others.

Your heart was ever light and joyful; taking every opportunity to share in laughter and celebration with others.

You gave reverence to all living things. Your kindness and compassion were boundless; always willing to share your time, your gifts, your knowledge with others.

You were a fierce and caring protector. Under your watchful eye, we thrived. You welcomed all into your home, your table, and your family.

You were assuredly peaceful in knowing that everything would turn out just as it’s meant to be; confident that you were exactly where you were supposed to be.

I am saddened that this world will not know your soul for another day or even a moment. To never hear you tell another story or watch you pour over the maps of our heritage again. These moments, like so many others, exist now only in our memories.

Your life of giving, nurturing, and loving the world around you is what you’ve left behind. This legacy, your legacy is forever etched on our hearts.

Finally your soul is free of its earthbound body. Truly this is grace.

_______

Photo Credit:

Shoreline during golden hour, Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

What Lights Your Fire?

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In Uncategorized1 Comment

The thing about motivation is that it’s not exactly like learning another skill. It’s not at all like learning to cook or ride a bike or learning to drive — those things stick with you and even when you haven’t done them for a while, they tend to come back to you pretty quickly.

Motivation is not something that we can really gain mastery of — just when we think we’ve got it, it’s gone. It’s fleeting and it changes from one time and place to another. In completing one ambition, we may find our motivation to be consistently strong throughout. Yet in the case of another goal or resolution, we struggle to find the motivation to even begin.

Why is that?

Different circumstances, different expectations, different time and place. Maybe our level of interest is varied or we’re simply lacking passion (you can read more about passion in my post on Grit). Whatever the case, rest assured that you’re not alone. Pretty much everyone struggles to find motivation at least some of the time (myself included) and there are lots of strategies to help you discover and keep your motivation burning which I’m going to outline today.

As always, you shouldn’t feel obligated to do everything included in this post (in fact, I wouldn’t even advise that). What I hope you’ll find here instead are a few practical ideas that resonate with you and help provide the spark you need to set your motivation ablaze. Remember, our entire life journey is a work in progress of sorts, so we shouldn’t expect to attain perfection anytime soon!

My own mantra this week is, “Nothing can stop me today — I can only stop myself.” I share this because I think it fits well with the topic of motivation, particularly because I tend to find (and maybe you do as well) that the thing getting in my way most of the time is me! No one is making me take on the commitments in my life that I’ve made — I chose to make them. When I find that my plate is overwhelmingly full, I can only look to myself because I’m the one that filled it in that manner.

I’m not saying this to beat myself up or to suggest that you should in any way do the same. Conversely, it’s important that we take ownership and find empowerment in knowing that we shape our own goals and experiences. While we can’t control everything that happens in a day, we can own the way that we choose to spend our time and how we react to the occurrences throughout each day.

Not sure where to start? Here’s some ideas to help you discover and keep your motivation – that internal fire inside us all – burning strong:

Share your knowledge with others. In most cases, it’s not that you don’t know what to do or how to reach your goal, but channeling the motivation to actually make progress can be difficult. Many people find themselves stuck in a rut, unable to take meaningful action, even though they know exactly what they need to do. There’s a good chance you know someone who’s been wanting to lose weight for years, but hasn’t been able to actually commit to a particular diet (maybe that someone is even you). Yet, that person probably has more knowledge about nutrition and calorie intake vs. outtake than almost anyone else in your life.

In this case, the key to forward momentum is building self-confidence by telling others how to do it. Yes, literally go tell other people the step-by-step process for how to accomplish the goal that you want to accomplish yourself. (I know this sounds a bit odd, but stay with me.)  A very compelling study by Eskreis-Winkler and Fishbach (see Fessler, 2018) demonstrated how simply giving advice to others (on the same issues she/he was struggling to do) could help build one’s self-confidence enough to propel individuals into action. It reminds me of that saying, ‘those who can’t do teach,’ except that in this case it’s like ‘those who teach are more likely to do,’ which aligns perfectly with my next point…

“Do something. Do anything.” According to Mark Manson (bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck) action can precipitate action simply by helping us build confidence in our ability to do so. It doesn’t have to be something big, but making any sort of action towards reaching our goals often creates the inspiration and motivation we need to continue along a path of progress. If you’re paralyzed by your fear of going to the gym, maybe start with a walk outside or find a YouTube video to follow along with at home. If you want to mend a relationship with someone and you don’t know where to start, try picking up the phone and calling them or writing them a letter (you don’t even have to send it if you don’t want to).

When I’m struggling to start writing (which is basically everyday), I will often say to myself, “Okay, I’ll just create an outline,” or “I can at least write down the thoughts that are in my head,”  or “Fine, I’ll write ONE paragraph.” Oftentimes I’ll find that as a result, moving onto other parts becomes much easier because I’ll have ideas for how to do so (and maybe even a bit of excitement).

Maybe I’ll have an idea for a second paragraph or the introduction or a totally different point I want to make later in the chapter (or blog post…). In any case, once you’ve actually started, it’s so much easier to keep going and I almost always find myself thinking something along the lines of, “That wasn’t so difficult (but I’m definitely not going to admit that I may have even enjoyed myself a bit), I don’t know why I put this off — I’ll just do a bit more.”

When I’m really stumped (or just because), one of my favorite things to do is to create a timeline. It doesn’t have to be very detailed when you begin, it can literally just be an estimated start and end date. Bench marks (tasks that need to be completed along the way) will begin to form in your mind and then you can break down how long each item will take you to complete. After you’ve completed your working or tentative timeline (because it’s always subject to change), you can look to the first task and start working on it immediately.

Be realistic in your expectations. Sometimes we come to a phase in life where we feel compelled to overhaul our entire state of being. If you’re trying to lose weight for instance, you may want to drastically change your diet, workout routine, and sleep habits all at once. While these behaviors likely work together and could potentially reinforce each other, making several drastic life changes at once is almost always a guaranteed recipe for failure.

It’s not at all because we don’t possess the ability to do so, but rather that we’re asking ourselves to do something that is virtually impossible and unsustainable. Meaningful and lasting changes tend to occur through small incremental changes over time. In the example I gave above, you could start with changing just one aspect of your life (like diet) and integrate the others later once you’ve accomplished your initial goal. Another option might be to set two attainable goals to begin (like eating out one day less each week and getting up 10 minutes earlier) which you make more challenging over time (like eating out only once a week and getting up an hour earlier).

As with the above points discussed, this approach tends to work because small, attainable goals help us experience a sense of achievement which in turn, builds self-confidence. Why should you care about self-confidence? Because self-confidence is really about learning to trust ourselves. Imagine if you had someone in your life who you continually told you they would meet you at a certain time tomorrow and then for weeks, they never showed up, day after day. After a few days (or maybe even just the first day), you would stop waiting for them because you wouldn’t trust them.

Every time we break a commitment to ourselves, we break our own trust. We trust ourselves less and less until we come to believe that we won’t follow through with anything and are incapable of accomplishing any goals. We diminish our self-confidence until there is nothing left (just writing this makes me feel so sad!!). Why do we treat ourselves with so little regard? We are important and so worthy of self-love and of keeping our commitments to ourselves (which fits so well with my next point)!

Before we move on, let me just say once more — YOU are important and YOU are worthy of love.

More compassion, less criticism. There’s a lot of research which shows that self-criticism actually works to demotivate us. (Which is probably not so surprising after reading the last few paragraphs.) When we fail, as we inevitably will, it’s important to have some self-compassion. Be gracious with yourself in recognizing that at any moment we can start again and try our best to do better.

More compassion may mean that you go off your diet for a night because it’s important to enjoy a special occasion with your family and not worry about monitoring your food choices. It may mean that you while you didn’t stick to your diet for breakfast (because maybe someone brought donuts to the office this morning), you’re committed to making good food choices for lunch (or dinner if you call it that) and supper instead of throwing the whole day out the window. It may mean that while you missed your deadline for a project or goal, you recognize that you’ve still made a lot of progress and you’re committed to seeing it through, even if it’s a little bit later than you had hoped.

I want to note that there’s a healthy balance between being self-compassionate and not falling into overly-compromising on a commitment to yourself (which can harbor distrust). That balance will be different depending on the individual and the circumstances. I genuinely believe however, you know the difference— you know when you’re showing a little bit of grace, flexibility, and self-compassion (which is sometimes needed) and you know when you’re breaking a commitment or promise to yourself. Be mindful of the difference and do what’s best for you.

Stay in the present moment. When that moment of conflict arises and you find yourself with the desire to compromise your goal, whatever it may be, know that this is only natural. This is an inevitable occurrence within the process of change. Instead of seeking a distraction, stay present in the moment. Try facing these moments with a sense of curiosity (instead of chastising yourself). Consider what it mean to cheat on your goal today or in this moment. Likely, it would mean breaking a promise you’ve made to yourself.

Remind yourself of your goal’s importance and worth (and perhaps also of your importance and worth as well). Why did you commit to this goal in the first place? Why was (is) it important to you? Stay with these feelings and allow them to pass (because they definitely will!). You may be surprised at the emotions connected to these experiences — you may feel anger or sadness or remorse (or something else altogether). Just know that it’s okay to feel; we’re human and that’s what we do.

Recruit an ally. Accountability can be a powerful tool especially if you’re someone who struggles to keep resolutions for yourself. *raises hand slowly* This doesn’t have to come in the form of a person (though it certainly may!), it could be in the form of keeping a reflection journal or logging your progress in an app. There are a lot of great apps out there for tracking fitness goals through logging your food and workout habits, for example. (I use Fitbit and know a lot of people who use MyFitnessPal, but there are many other good apps out there beyond these.)

The most important thing here, is finding whatever works to help hold you accountable and provide some support toward reaching your goals. I recently installed an aerial yoga hammock in my house (it was actually a gift from my parents – thank you!!) which I had been wanting to do for some time. I was initially drawn to it because it looked like fun, – which it totally is – but since practicing with it, I’ve realized it has immense value in its ability to act as a support in learning to do things like inversions or for working on balance in poses like Warrior 3. I’m telling you this because I happened to mention my observation to my doctoral Advisor and she, in her infinite wisdom, remarked how perfectly this demonstrated that with the right supports in place, virtually anything is attainable (it literally gives me goosebumps even now).

Isn’t that the truth? Things that sometimes feel out of reach or even impossible to us, suddenly become realities when we just have the right tools or the right people around us. So spend a bit of time thinking about what might be most helpful to you and recognize that it may take some trial and error to figure it out. Once it’s there, the sky is the limit – literally, anything is possible.

Channel your inner rebel. If you’re the type of person who resists being told what to do and when to do it (as many of us are), you may not love the idea of setting boundaries for yourself. However, the same characteristics that compel us to resist constraints also drive us to fight and fight hard; we love to defy expectations, prove others wrong, and most of all, we LOVE to win!

I have a good friend who’s taking his sibling rivalry to a whole new level by competing with his sister to make his fitness goals. That desire to beat her (or maybe just to not let her win?) is a big part of what’s driving him to make it to the gym every morning before work. Healthy competition can be highly motivational for individuals like this (myself included). It may not be possible (or ideal) in every case, but for something like losing weight, it could be really fun to challenge a friend or family member.

I will add a word of caution on this point, however. Yes, spite can be a powerful motivator, but I’m not sure it’s always a healthy one – especially if it’s the ONLY thing that’s driving you to accomplish a goal. It’s important that our goals be things that we have chosen to pursue because they are meaningful and important to us in some way. If the desire to prove someone wrong or to be better than someone else is the only thing that is driving you to pursue a goal, I urge you to consider whether it’s truly something worth the effort. Is it something that will bring joy or peace to your life in some way? If not, it may be time to drop it.

Do some investigative work. It can be really helpful to do a little research about your goal and to find out what others have done to achieve the same goal. If it’s a particularly broad topic area (like weight loss ), you may find the amount of information online to be overwhelming at first because there are literally thousands of articles available. Consider starting with friends, family members, or colleagues who may have had similar experiences and ask what’s worked well for them. Most people are happy to share their success stories and will probably give you more information than you asked for!  Once you have a good starting point (like maybe the name of a particular diet to research), you can narrow your search online for additional information if needed.

This approach can be particularly helpful if you’re someone who likes to make a clear plan ahead of time or if you have a tendency to want to know the “best” or “right” way to do something. Just be sure to keep in mind that what’s best for you may be different from what’s best or has worked for someone else and that’s completely okay (really, it’s to be expected). You may even need to try some things out to find the best fit before making a decision. Remember, what’s most important is to actually take the first steps toward achieving your goal (back to that point about “Do something. Do Anything.”) – even if it’s not quite right when you first start. Don’t get stuck in the research and planning phase at the cost of delaying your goal any longer.

Make your commitment a big deal. It may be tempting to say you’ll start your diet (or virtually any other goal) on Monday, but it’s really important to set an official start date. Lots of people get stuck in the planning and preparation phase; they continually procrastinate actually acting on their resolution. Look at your calendar and mark the start date. Look at the events you have coming up in the near future – will you be traveling or do you have a big celebration to attend? You may want to plan around these things to help ensure you will be successful (just don’t put it off for too long).

Once you have a start date, commit to working on your goal for a set length of time. It may be 30 days, or 3 months, or 6 months depending on your goal and the amount of time you think you will realistically need to accomplish it. Something you may also want to consider are conditions for breaking your commitment. For instance, what will happen if you break your commitment one day or you don’t reach your goal for a week? Will you start over at Day 1?

It may sound harsh, but having some conditions or even consequences in place can actually help us stay committed on those days when we just want to give up. We’ll think to ourselves, “I don’t want to cheat because I don’t want to start over!” I didn’t invent this idea, it’s been used by many people and it’s one of the principles of the Whole30 diet which I’ve mentioned in previous posts. When you get to day 25 and you just want to eat some bread, you’re much less likely to do so because you only have five days left and you don’t want to start the 30 days all the way from the beginning again!!

Okay, enough of that – here’s the fun part: Find a way to commemorate your first day by doing something special. Celebrate in some way or get something that brings meaning to the day for you. It doesn’t have to cost anything – it could be as simply as writing your goal in a place that you will see it every day. It might be finding a mantra that you will remind yourself of as you work on your goal such as, “I trust in myself and the decisions I make,” or simply, “I am enough.”  Consider also telling friends and family members about your plan as they may want to know and could help cheer you along the way (and celebrate in your success!).

Trust the transformational process. Recognize that change occurs over time and when we are ready to change. If you have the intention to change and put forth the effort, you will absolutely change — but it’s probably not going to happen overnight. Trust that you will reach your goal in your own time — every day is a day of progress along that journey.

Celebrate your small successes along the way to help remind yourself of your progress. Additionally, you may consider journaling so that you can frequently reflect on how far you’ve come. Even if you did everything on this list and mapped your goal out perfectly, life has a tendency to get in the way on occasion. Remember that we can’t control everything. In unexpected moments, have some self-compassion and then trust that we will all be okay. You will be okay.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of ideas mentioned in the paragraphs above to help you channel your own motivational fire. However, there are a few common threads that seem to be focused around:

  • Taking action – even if it’s not quite the right action, just trying something out can be helpful in creating the momentum to move forward
  • Growing our self-confidence (which involves building trust with ourselves) often provides the empowerment required to commit to and achieve our goals
  • Knowing there isn’t a one-size fits all approach; what works best for you will depend on your individual needs and circumstances (so don’t be afraid to try out some different things)
  • Recognizing that meaningful and sustainable change take time to create (so have patience with the process)

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to share any questions or comments below. I would love to hear about your own goals, plans, challenges, successes, etc.!

All my best to you,

Tiff

References

Fessler, L. (2018). Psychologists have surprising advice people who feel unmotivated. Quartz at Work. Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://qz.com/work/1363911/two-psychologists-have-a-surprising-theory-on-how-to-get-motivated/

Manson, M. (2011). The “do something” principle. MM.net. Retrieved from January 6, 2019, from https://markmanson.net/do-something

Vozza, S. (2018). How these 4 different personality types find motivation. Fast Company. Retrieved January 6, 2019, from https://www.fastcompany.com/40560193/how-these-4-different-personality-types-find-motivation

Wilson, A. (2016). Playing with fire: The power of Tapas to help us fulfill our intentions. Kripalu: Center for Yoga & Health. Retrieved February 6, 2019, from https://kripalu.org/resources/playing-fire-power-tapas-help-us-fulfill-our-intentions

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

  1. Fire, Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash
  2. Books on bookshelf, Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
  3. Calendar, Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash
  4. Crossed hands, Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash
  5. Ladder to sky, Photo by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash
  6. Monarch butterflies, Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash

A Quick Note…

On By Tiffani Luethke, Ph.D.In UncategorizedLeave a comment

I hope this finds you all well and that your 2019 is off to a great start! I just wanted to post a few lines and apologize for the lack of recent posts! As many of you can probably relate, finding my sense of balance and routine in the new year has been a bit chaotic.

While change is a necessary part of life (which often leads to positive and desirable outcomes), it can be painful and scary and downright difficult at times! If you can relate, remember that you will be okay – everything will work out. Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself of all the challenges you’ve faced and conquered in the past (let’s face it, you’re a badass). Be empowered and face tomorrow head-on. You’ve got this.

Here’s a quick update of what’s happening:

  1. I’m currently in the final stages of my doctoral program and working toward completing my dissertation (basically a book – and I’ll tell you all about it if you care to know) over the next few months. In short, this means I will likely be spending several hours every day designated to writing between now and May. And, as much as I absolutely love writing for this blog, I’m taking some of my own advice on avoiding Burnout which means I won’t be posting as frequently to the Whole Leader site.
  2. However, I have asked a few of my favorite colleagues and friends to help contribute by guest blogging over the next few months – so you can look forward to excellent content and insights from some very exceptional people. More to come on this later…
  3. I’ve been working on becoming a Registered Yoga Teacher (200-hour) over the past several months and I’m excited to announce that I will be teaching yoga classes locally starting next month. For those of you who are located in the Kearney area and have any interest in yoga (even if you’ve never done it before), I would love to see you at a class! Once the details are finalized, I will post them to the Whole Leader site with a full schedule and information about how to sign up.
  4. I’m currently finishing a blog post on getting and staying motivated (and to be honest, it’s really as much for me as it is for any of you lovely readers out there!) which will be posted sometime in the next week. The topic was inspired by a dear friend and loyal reader (you know who you are) and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

Please feel free to post any comments or questions below and I will respond to you as soon as possible!

All my very best to you,
Tiff

Photo Credit:

Typewriter, Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash