Dr. Taryn Deane, ND
@DrTarynDeane
With a new crew of doctors graduating from Naturopathic college last week, another cohort leaving the comfort of the IHN walls this fall and 173 students from Boucher struggling after a week of exam beatdowns, I feel it’s timely to share some tips that should make the process of becoming a competent and healthy practitioner smoother and more pleasurable than you ever thought possible.
Whether the end result is clear skin, hot sex, total confidence or all of the above, I’m in the business of getting my people there as quickly as possible. This is especially true for my entrepreneurial-minded patients and every one of my students. I’ve learned that the fastest way is to get clear on the difference between those who are resistant and those who are resilient.
Last spring, my dear friend and brilliant colleague, Dr. Thara Vayali lent me this book: The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.
I’m somehow new to the personal development world; weird, I know, after studying and teaching health for as long as I have. I am an idealistic self-criticizer though, so I feel like I was halfway there when I started to take it seriously. In any case, when Thara lent me the book, I read it all. I believed every single word he wrote and suddenly I started to see the world with a clearer set of eyes.
Those of us who have been through it – many of you readers, I bet – know that with this realization comes a whole host of problems. You can’t unsee the awareness that comes with knowing your role and place in the world and believing that the odds are for you, not against you (if you so choose).
You also can’t help but feel frustrated, overwhelmed and exhausted at the drive and perserverence to enlighten everyone around you, while failing to deliver the message in a clear way. Luckily, books like this help us through the process and everything gets a whole helluva lot easier with professional support.
Resistance
Here are some of my favorite bits for anyone who doesn’t have time to read it all:
“Resistance knows that the more energy we expend dredging and re-dredging the boring injustices of our personal lives, the less juice we have to do our work.”
“The professional cannot take rejection personally because to do so reinforces Resistance. Editors are not the enemy; critics are not the enemy. Resistance is the enemy. The battle is inside our own heads. We cannot let external criticism, even if it’s true, fortify our internal foe. That foe is strong enough already.”
“The professional prepares mentally to absorb blows and deliver them. His aim is to take what the day gives him. He is prepared to be prudent and prepared to be reckless, to take a beating when he has to, and to go for the throat when he can. He understands that the field alters every day. His goal is not victory (success will come by itself when it wants to) but to handle himself, his insides, as sturdily and steadily as he can.”
“The professional learns to recognize envy-driven criticism and to take it for what it is: the supreme compliment. The critic hates most that which he would have done himself if he had had the guts.”
This book opened my heart to the true value of focus, determination and self-discovery. The deeper I dove – into astrology, native medicine, Chinese medicine, self-help books, videos, websites, blogs – the more it became clear that the key is resilience. I wrote about it, with clarity from Brene Brown, here. This new found appreciation for all of my less attractive features and traits has made it possible to plod on despite set-backs, large and small. The recognition that I already have what I’m looking for was, and continues to be, truly enlightening.
Success is a decision you make. What most of us actually want is significance and it can be found by:
- examining your life and fueling your memories with gratitude for every good and bad thing that has happened to date,
- then take the time to draw out the vision of your ideal world, without holding anything back (try focusing on how you want to feel, as opposed to what you want to collect or purchase),
- ask the universe your questions. Any day, any time, in any form, it listens without judgment and provides the perfect response in due time. You must trust that. In the meantime, when in doubt, ask the internet.
Nothing is more significant than growing. You can’t learn and grow unless you know where you need help and what the right questions are. Only you know the answer to that. Take the time to figure out your questions. The sooner, the better.
If you think your life is insignificant and that you don’t deserve to be happy, nothing can change the outcome of that belief. What matters most is what you think of yourself – decide that you’re worth it and watch for the magic that ensues.
If you haven’t gotten a calendar yet, spend $25 and get the Passion Planner, then get prepared to meet your new best friend and guardian angel. This coupled with Danielle LaPorte’s Desire Map arm you with the gall to dare resistance to try and stop you.
If you’re planning on launching a new product or have a business idea, I always love to hear about them. Comment below or send me an email, I read every one.
Dr. Taryn Deane ND hails from New Brunswick but now calls Vancouver home, where she moved 7 years ago to study Naturopathic Medicine. She currently practices downtown at Evoke Integrative Medicine, where she specializes in skin, sex and self-esteem by following a unique holistic approach to the underserved population suffering from these ailments.
Born into a family of teachers, it is no surprise that when she is not practicing, Dr. Deane is committed to improving the education of holistic healthcare practitioners. She’s thrilled to be teaching at both her alma mater – the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine – as Chair of Clinical Diagnosis, and at the Institute for Holistic Nutrition where she passionately teaches nutritionists about the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. In her spare time, she loves playing sports, dancing and spending time wandering around the Kitsilano community with her rescue mutt, Monte.