Episode 2 - Empowerment Through Tracking Your Self Care with Dr. Jennifer Harrison
By Jessica Garrison
We are continuing the open to our 6th season strong with Dr. Jennifer Harrison as our guest this week. She is an intelligent and patient individual, a combination that changes the world for the better. Between the effortless conversation and Jennifer’s clever insight, this episode is full of gems you’ll want to pay attention to.
Jennifer described variations of rest during the self-care discussion, such as physical, emotional, creative, and spiritual. An exercise that works one day may not work the next because the type of rest we need can be so complex. However, listening to Jennifer share how she’s come to discover what fits best for her routine serves as a reminder not to give up.
When dealing with boundaries, the key is remembering your worth and your priorities. This segment was my favorite during the episode because of Jennifer's realistic consideration; even though we may have a plan in our heads, things don’t always go according to plan. I’m interested in hearing what listeners have to say about boundaries after hearing this necessary conversation with Jennifer.
Coming from a family of academics, mental health wasn’t always made a priority in Jennifer’s life. There’s a general stigma against therapy in society, but having a trained, objective third party can help you work through any situation. Along with taking care of her mental health as much as her physical health, Jennifer’s “why” also ties into looking inward at who she is authentically.
This reigns true when it comes to other people’s expectations as well. It’s important to look inward at ourselves and decide what it is we truly want. Is it worth letting go to appease someone else’s dreams? Why are you trying to meet their expectations rather than your own? We tend to hold ourselves to higher standards than others, but either way, we work towards exceeding people’s expectations. At the end of the day, it’s impossible to make everyone happy.
Jennifer is constantly uplifting, encouraging, and supporting women as a dissertation coach, but she hasn’t always been doing what she loves in a healthy environment. She shares her journey of leaving a toxic workplace and finding a position where not only she belongs, but she can help others feel like they belong, too. Everyone needs a person like Jennifer, who can read and appreciate their work while helping them learn to be better. It’s easy to get discouraged, especially in the academic field, and I love that Jennifer can create a positive space for people to share their work without fear of rejection.
Jennifer says it’s never too late to start uncovering your layers. You are not the same person now as you were 5 years ago, just like you are not the same person now as you will be in 10 years. People are fluid and forever changing, which makes the lifelong journey of embracing your layers so beautiful. Jennifer shares a lot of great information regarding self-compassion and kindness, which everyone needs more of.
Jennifer shared so many wonderful anecdotes and such brilliance throughout this episode. Let us know what your favorite part of the episode was, and hopefully, we will hear more from Dr. Jennifer Harrison in the future!
Ways to Engage: What are some techniques you use to track your self-care, if any at all? After listening to the episode, what are some techniques you’d like to implement or get rid of when tracking self-care? How is your practice affected by what Jennifer said, and or what are your thoughts on tracking your self-care?