20 benefits I have enjoyed since having a blog focused on Chinese Medicine
As a follow-up to my previous popular post about Why all natural health care practitioners should have a blog, I thought I would put forward a list of the benefits I have noticed so far in having my blog about Chinese medicine. I want to create this list because I feel that there could be so much benefit to patients if more health care practitioners would face their fears and put their thoughts out there. This is particularly true in the field of natural medicine, because there is so much low-quality information on the Internet about various natural healing modalities. By flooding the Internet with high-quality personalized content, we can be a force for change in the minds of the world’s citizens. A noble goal! Now, the list.
- Connections with peers : I have a lot of good friends at school and in the Portland acupuncture and herbal medicine community. I wouldn’t trade those connections for anything. However, it’s really wonderful to be able to connect with Chinese medicine students and new practitioners all over the world. Some of those connections seem to be bearing real fruit that will enrich my life for years to come. Lesson - if you want to network within your profession, become a blogger!
- Connections with patients and future patients : In the post I linked to above, there was some discussion about whether blogging is an effective way to bring in patients. I won’t really know until I thoroughly test it, but I have found that my current patients at the clinic enjoy reading my thoughts. At least one patient has rescheduled because she received her email update and it reminded her to reschedule! In the end, though, it’s really about helping to educate patients about the power and promise of Chinese medicine. Lesson - If you’re interested in keeping in touch with your patients, consider blogging and having them sign up for email updates!
- Free critique of my own ideas, refining my thinking about Chinese medicine : Many people are afraid to write about their thoughts concerning Chinese medicine. I’ve never supposed I have all the answers. Sometimes (gasp) I’m even just wrong. But, you really don’t know what you don’t know until you write about it and put it out there. It can be scary, but exhilarating and I truly believe I have grown as a student and scholar by blogging. Lesson - Want to be an expert in your field? Write about it and pay attention to corrections and criticism.
- Writing practice : I guess this is self explanatory, but it’s always easier to learn how to write by … writing. :) Lesson - If “you’re not a writer,” the best way to become one is to start writing. It’s funny like that.
- Crash course in Internet marketing : Because I decided I wanted to grow this blog as large as I could and make some money with it, I had to start learning a lot about Internet marketing. I’ve consumed a whole lot of information on the subject and while I’m no expert, I’m happy to say I get it for the most part. Lesson - Blogging is a multi-skill activity that will expand your knowledge in many different respects.
- Staying abreast of trends in technology : I’m not obsessed with gadgets (really, I’m not!) or even Internet trends. However, in an effort to keep reasonably well updated, I do learn quite a bit about what’s going on and what’s coming up. I like feeling like I know what’s going on and I learn by doing - so running a blog (or three) is an effective way to keep up to date. Lesson - Similar to the one associated with #5.
- Higher standard of personal organization (more projects means more organization) : For some people, more to do means less organized. Naturally, this leads people to believe that they can become more organized if they just simplify their lives and take on fewer projects. For some people, this may be appropriate. In my case, I find that (to a certain limit) the more I take on, the more efficient I become at managing it. When I have relatively little to do, I actually become less likely to fulfill my basic obligations! Many people have asked me how I do what I do - to them I say that the event that most shaped my ability to do a lot was the birth of my daughter. This surely has many dimensions, but one of them was that because of the compression of my available time, I had to become better at managing my time. My schooling, blogging and other activities just add to this. Lesson - You’re capable of more. Maybe much more.
- A higher than average tolerance for thoughtless comments : If blogging doesn’t give you a thick skin, nothing will. I have been blessed to have a lower than average number of “trolls” and my comment spam catching software is quite effective, but I still get a few folks who think it’s fun to be intentionally antagonistic. You learn to ignore them. Lesson - Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the whole crate.
- Less tendency to goof off on the Internet : I know, I know. This sounds crazy. But, because I see being online as part of my job, I really don’t want to use it very much “for fun.” I get off as quickly as I can unless a good friend is online and interested in conversation. My friends who primarily use the Internet for shopping and email seem far more likely to wander the crazytube of the Internet aimlessly. Poor things. Lesson - You can learn to be productive on the Internet. Yes, really.
- Helping others gain study skills : There are lots of ways that I feel that my work on Deepest Health has helped others - and this is truly the greatest benefits I have received by blogging about Chinese Medicine. I’ve listed just three ways I’ve helped here, but there are others. Lesson - If you are a person who likes to help people, blogging is one way you can fulfill that divine desire.
- Helping others understand Chinese medicine concepts : Countless examples abound, from talking to people about the six conformations to talking about the organ clock and so much more. I really enjoy sharing what I’m learning with others. I learn so much in doing so.
- Helping to promote friends’ businesses and hobbies : I’ve promoted others blogs but also businesses like Paul Rosenberg’s Sacred Tea.
- Walking farther along my spiritual path : While I certainly would have made spiritual progress without this blog, the connections I’ve made and conversations I’ve had have really helped me move along. Because I feel empowered to discuss spiritual matters on this blog, it’s been relatively simple to use my blogging as a medium to walk my Path. Lesson - Technology does not negate spirituality.
- Money and other material benefits : Of course it has been nice to get some material benefits from blogging. I’m nowhere near making even a part-time income, but it grows with every lesson from Yaro I am able to implement. I have enjoyed receiving review copies of books and software as well. While I wouldn’t blog ONLY for the material benefits, they are nice. Lesson - Blogging can be profitable in more ways than one.
- Lateral networking : Because of the nature of the Internet, people run across Deepest Health from many different walks of life and professions. While I do come in contact with all sorts of people in the offline world, I generally keep within a certain group of friends and colleagues. The connections I have made with people in very diverse fields has helped me to think differently about Chinese Medicine, and I’m profoundly grateful for that. Lesson - Reaching out on the Internet helps you connect with the whole world.
- Ability to say, in conversation, “I’m a blogger” : A silly one, perhaps. But, it is always interesting to see people’s reactions. More often than not, they try to ignore that I said it. Sometimes, they ask what that means. Sometimes, they launch into a diatribe about Myspace. It’s entertaining. No lesson required.
- A greater appreciation for the immense diversity of our planet : This is connected to some degree with #15 about lateral networking. Again, because of the nature of the Internet, you just end up connecting with a wider variety of people than you would normally when you blog. Particularly when I use various forms of social media, I get a sense for what’s going on in Cairo or Melbourne or anywhere else. I understand the struggles that normal people go through in places different from my own. I also begin to see how similar we all are. Lesson - The world is a vast, fascinating place. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to connect with it.
- Better posture : Over time I’ve gone from sitting in a somewhat ergonomically structured plush office chair to a kitchen chair to my current seat - a simple short flat bench. Strange? I find that I am able to keep better posture when I have less support. I don’t know if this makes any biomechanical sense at all. Regardless, I have never paid so much attention to my posture as I have on long days of blogging. Lesson - Just because other people slouch at the computer doesn’t mean you have to.
- A greater than average tolerance for sitting in long, long, long classes and seminars : This one goes with #18 to a certain degree. Instead of making me less tolerant to sitting, blogging has increased my stamina when it comes to sedentary activity. I should note that while I do have long periods of sitting and writing, I do get up to do a couple of minutes of exercise about every 30 minutes. I will sometimes do this in seminars when it is possible (as when I end up in the back of the room and it is not very quiet). I’ll just get up and stretch my legs. But, in general, I find that my ability to sit when necessary is much increased, and this has been tremendously helpful in some circumstances. Lesson - Yeah, sitting all the time is no good, but you have to count your blessings.
- Greater finger strength for needling : I have fingers of POWER from all of this typing, I assure you. Seriously, though, I pay close attention to my finger health, which includes finger exercising. I don’t know if this has actually helped my needling, but let’s just pretend. Lesson - See lesson#19 above.
Thanks for reading,
Eric
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Tags: Blogging, Business, fun, internet, Learning, lists, networking, organization, student, Technology, writingRelated posts
Deepest Health is a member of the 9rules network!
Blogging can be hard work. For the most part, I do it because I really enjoy my interactions with all of you. I also enjoy the opportunity to work out my ideas in a more solid form and share things that aren’t easily available on the web. Anyway, as I shared in my post about a year of Chinese medicine blogging, things have been going well for the site. But, I wrote too soon. I am very honored and excited to announce:
Deepest Health has been accepted as a member site to the popular 9rules blog network!
For those of you who don’t know, a blog network is run by a dedicated group of individuals that want to make it easier for folks to filter through the huge number of blogs out there. 9rules was started in 2003 and has built a reputation as a valuable resource of use to anyone who is interested in reading the best material on the Internet. I encourage you to check them out.
Thanks everyone,
Eric
PS: It will take a bit for my content to be republished by 9rules, so if you try to look for me there, you won’t find me - yet. :)
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Why Chinese medicine students must come together
I want to preface this article with the caveat that I only know about American CM practitioners and that much of what I have to say could be limited to that demographic. But, perhaps there is a more global appeal. One of the things that shocked me when I entered this profession as a student to find widespread disorganization at both student and professional levels. At my school, it’s exceedingly difficult to get anyone interested in organizing for the purposes of setting a course for the future or acting on issues before they become problems. Getting people motivated to fix something that is already broken is somewhat easier. I understand that people are busy, that as students we have to do a lot of lifestyle triage to maintain sanity.
However, I also know that the future of this profession lies with us - with the students. We are at a critical juncture in human history. We are at a critical junction in the development of health care - I need only mention the recent rash of documentary style movies about various health crises (Sicko, anyone?) and you will know what I mean. Out-of-pocket healthcare costs are spiraling out of control, medical mistakes continue to be a leading cause of death in the country and people are choosing “alternative” medical treatments at higher rates every year. The people need a better way and we as current and future CM physicians know a better way.
But acting alone or, at best, in small groups is not the answer. It won’t help us lobby Congress to get better loan options as students, it won’t help us get loan forgiveness, it won’t help us to become licensed in more states, it won’t help us stave off attacks from the FDA and other medical professions. Even on a lower level, being organized is good business sense. When you have a broad and deep network of peers to coordinate with, to build referrals with and to discuss difficult cases with - your acumen as a physician will increase, your patient numbers will increase and your ability to reach the widest number of suffering people will increase.
It does take work, though. It takes sacrificing time. It takes sometimes talking through difficult issues with people you don’t necessarily even like. It takes late night conference calls and marathon committee meeting sessions. It takes being willing to have your mind opened and changed. Sometimes it means eating a little crow.
I want to be part of a healthy, thriving profession that is working as hard as it can to be a solution for the health care crisis facing the United States and much of the world. I want to start working towards that as a student to build a firm foundation for my development as a professional. I want you to join me. Will you?
Eric
Tags: networking, organizing, professional-development, students, unityRelated posts
Chinese medicine (AAAOM) conference in Portland, OR this October!
A quick announcement which I will follow with a discussion about my current thoughts on professional development in the Chinese medicine field…
October 18-22, 2007 - the AAAOM, the premiere professional organization for Chinese medicine practitioners in the United States, will be holding an International Conference and Exposition in Portland, OR. The theme for this year’s conference is “Strength through Unification.” Although that theme name is mildly reminiscent to me of some kind of Maoist refrain - I really like the thought and energy behind it.
AAAOM is the new hybrid of the East and West coast professional organizations and I feel that this recent restructuring has created some space for change to occur in our profession country-wide. It being in Portland is just icing on the cake, given that Portland is - in my estimation - uniquely poised to be the epicenter of the natural healthcare revolution.
Add to all of this the fact that the new professional student organization, parented by AAAOM and herein referred to as the AAAOM-SO, is experiencing similar invigoration. I just met with a member of the governing body of the organization who gave me a lot of great ideas and infused me with energy! We discussed the need for greater unity between the student bodies at all of the many Chinese medicine schools in the country, despite the fact that we may not agree on everything or may have different approaches to the medicine. In fact, because of the diverse voices we need to find ways to communicate and cooperate on action items that impact everyone. One of the action items we discussed was student loan forgiveness for CM graduates. At this point, CM graduates are not eligible for loan forgiveness. The woman I spoke with is a flight attendant by training and through conversations with various high-profile passengers has learned that getting CM graduates into VA hospitals is a possibility. If we get into this federal institution, we can be eligible for loan forgiveness.
It’s a long road, to be sure, but one that is worth travelling. However, getting down that road quickly and effectively will require unifying our efforts and coordinating action. This is one of the purposes of the AAAOM-SO.
This conference looks to be time well spent. Great speakers and multiple networking opportunities, all in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. Registration can be done through their website, which was recently redesigned and looks great. If you are a student, there are special rates in the works. When I get the official word I will be sure to do a quick update to this post with the information - but the preliminary information indicates that students can get a year membership to AAAOM-SO and full conference registration for only $100. If you are a student at my school - hold on to your seats - we’re going to do a coordinated registration.
Eric
Tags: aaaom, conference, networking, professional-developmentRelated posts
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