I’m grateful for science, researchers, and the people dedicated to keeping up with it. I just finished a book called, Healing Depression without Medication: A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Balancing Mind, Body, and Soul (Link in title) by Jodie Skillicorn, DO. If you’ve been reading this blog, you know how dedicated to learning I am. Reading this book was such an amazing gift, because it explained the science behind things that I’ve thought and practiced for years. She even presented some practices I’ve never heard of, which of course I have flagged to try.

As I’ve said before, I was a suicidal teen. I was prescribed a drug combination at seventeen that completely numbed me to the point that when one of my cousins got in a car accident, went into a coma, and then died, I didn’t feel anything. I’m a person who gets moved by a sentimental moment in a commercial. Not feeling anything is about the ABSOLUTE worst thing I could imagine. Soon after, I switched from going to a psychiatrist to a social worker and got off the meds. I learned how to process my feelings and work through them there. Reading this book all these years later helped me get a whole new layer of understanding of my past experiences with my depression. The best part is I can see why what I’m doing to stay aligned with love, abundance, and peace is working to keep me in a healthy place, despite the occasional and short-lived dips.

When I finished the book yesterday, I became overwhelmed with gratitude for people like Dr. Skillicorn, who keep up with research and really invest the time to understand what they are reading, processing, and passing on. You can tell by her work, she keeps looking for new ways and methods to help people who are suffering. Thinking about her then turned into me thinking about all the many scientists, researchers, and people keeping up with the ever changing discoveries about the COVID pandemic. Yes, I’m overflowing with gratitude! This is not an easy task. I know the people on the frontlines and behind the scenes are all working tirelessly to get an understanding of this internal invader. Here’s the thing that people sometimes forget about science, with new knowledge comes new discoveries. I’m so grateful to those who keep searching for a greater understanding of how things work. Things will change and not everything happens in a straight line.

When I was in college, some of my professors and classmates would laugh at just how many research studies I would pull up for one 10-page paper, we won’t even talk about my final project LOL. One of my professors told me a couple years later she likes to use me as an example of be careful of how much you bite off. I can only imagine that people in the field can go down similar rabbit holes when they start diving in. I have so much respect for those who dedicate their lives to this.

I watch people get annoyed and impatient with the scientific process—especially now. If you are one of these people, please think about the fact that science is about trial and error. There is no perfect science. We have to do the best with the information we have at the time. This is passed on to every facet of our lives. We can only ever do our best with what information we have at the time. The cool thing about scientists, researchers, and the people who keep up with it are that the best will keep getting better. There has to be a willingness to see what is out there, or when it comes to becoming our best selves—in there.

Awareness is key to making shifts. We cannot change that which is buried or hidden.

Skillicorn, Jodie, DO. Healing Depression with Medication: A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Balancing Mind, Body, and Soul. North Atlantic Books, 2020, p. 98

Today, I commit to paying attention to NEW science and research. If you are struggling with depression or anxiety right now with everything going on, I highly suggest checking out Dr. Skillicorn’s book. If you enjoy the tools I offer, you would probably enjoy reading about the science behind why it works. She also offers tons of “Wellness RX” sections to apply the lessons. The layout is so user-friendly too. Another great thing to pay attention to is she takes the reader through her transition of opening up her own mind when she started seeing the disconnects and missing pieces in her education. The book is available on audiobook too. I actually got both the paperback and audiobook, because I knew I would want to have both for easy access.

Other new science I find fascinating is brain science. The discoveries in brain science are mind-blowing. There is also new science in DNA, cannabis, human behavior, energy, education, and so much more. I love seeing what is new out there. When I open my mind to what changes and develops through scientific research, it helps me to open my mind to make changes in my own life. I open myself up for discovery.

With Love, Abundance, and Peace,

©Rachael Wolff 2020

Author of Letters from a Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World