Upcoming Event: Resiliency Training for Healthcare Professionals on the front-lines of COVID-19.
Greetings everyone, I hope you are safe and healthy wherever you are in the world as you read this.
This Thursday, 14 May 2020, I will be giving resiliency training for healthcare workers who are on the front lines battling COVID-19 (via Zoom).
The number of ways that COVID has effected our lives is too many to list, but it is certain that our healthcare workers are doing a Herculean task. Long-hours in a high-stress and high-stakes environment can quickly lead to exhaustion, sickness, burn-out, depression and worse.
Working with Kansas City Southwest Clinical Society (KCSWCS) I designed this training to give healthcare workers the tools they need to weather this storm. Here’s the info:
Title: Auf Geht’s “Resilient Victory amidst the COVID-19 Healthcare Battlefield “
Learning Objectives:
1. Healthcare providers immediately discover valuable resiliency skills they can put to immediate use in the stressful COVID-19 workplace.
2. Healthcare providers develop skills to master the tactical art of calm and gratitude within the COVID-19 workplace.
The training will be offered twice on May 14th, once at 1200 and again at 1700 (Central Standard Time), both via Zoom. To register, email Ruth Smerchek directly (Ruth@kcswcs.org).
KCSWCS gives Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit for the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. To register to get CME credit, email Ruth Smerchek directly (Ruth@kcswcs.org).
The KCSWCS has been helping medical professional since 1923, and is one of the oldest postgraduate medical education organizations west of the Mississippi (possibly the oldest). They are completely independent with no affiliation with any area medical schools or hospitals, and their activities are devoted entirely to continuing medical education (CME). It’s an honor to work with them on an ongoing basis.
If you or someone you know can benefit from this training, do not hesitate to reach out to Ruth. Please share widely.
See you there,
Greg
Upcoming Event: Kansas City Southwest Clinical Society Annual Conference
I’ve got some exciting news!
This fall I’ll be speaking at the Kansas City Southwest Clinical Society‘s (KCSWCS) 96th Annual Fall Clinical Conference. Over the course of two days the conference gathers over 500 providers to hear local, regional and national experts, in both plenary sessions and symposiums, review basic concepts and emphasize recent advances in medicine, guideline implementation and disease management.
The KCSWCS has been helping medical professional for some time, since 1923 in fact, and is one of the oldest postgraduate medical education organizations west of the Mississippi (possibly the oldest). They are completely independent with no affiliation with any area medical schools or hospitals, and their activities are devoted entirely to continuing medical education (CME).
I’m extremely honored to be among the 40+ experts in the field, and to be one of the two key-note speakers who will present during this conference. I’m excited to share my experience not only as a cancer survivor, but also a healthcare professional (16+ years as an Army Medical Service Corps Officer) and a communications expert.
You can learn more by clicking here. Of course, KCSWCS does these kind of conferences all the time, if you want to reach out, you can contact Ruth Smerchek directly (Ruth@kcswcs.org).
For you medical professionals out there, these conferences give CME credit for the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.
Hope to see you there,
Greg
Continuing Medical Education and Patient-Centered Healthcare Communication
I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals.
For most of my time in the military (16 years, in fact) I was an Army Medical Service Corps Officer, and I dealt with nearly every aspect of providing healthcare in locations far and wide.
After a full career I retired from the military, was busy doing other things and then one day…BOOM, I was diagnosed with stage III throat cancer.
Now I was spending a lot of time in hospitals but for an entirely different reason. The world that I thought I knew so well was turned completely upside-down when I became the patient.
Beating cancer was the hardest things I’ve ever done. Period. But I learned a few things along the way, and the perspective I gained has put me in a unique position to help both healthcare professionals and patients alike.
Patient-Centered Healthcare Communication
I have long been an advocate of continuing education and I LOVE that the medical community has formalized this concept into Continuing Medical Education (CME). It’s a way that medical professionals stay on top of their game, and I, like most in the medical field, had an requisite number of credits to fulfill each year.
Patient-Centered Healthcare Communication is my teaching program for medical professionals, and I designed it specifically to work in the CME framework.
What exactly is it? It’s sharing what I’ve learned from being both a medical professional and a cancer patient. It’s looking at the way communication flows, not only between doctor and patient, but within the entire staff. It’s about understanding the patient’s experience from start to finish, who they interact with along the way, and ultimately, how to deliver them the best care. Its also about how to deliver the most devastating news a patient might ever hear.
After a diagnoses that few survive, I’m incredibly fortunate to be here. I had a stellar medical team who helped me through a terribly difficult time. Sharing my story is just one of the ways I show them my gratitude.
This is not your standard CME. This is my life, and this is my passion.
I’m ready. Are you?
CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR CME
See you soon,
Greg
Ever Forward Radio with Chase Chewning
This past week I had the pleasure and privilege of appearing on Ever Forward Radio, a podcast hosted by Chase Chewning focused on people who are putting a purpose to their passion. Ever Forward is a brand that Chase and his brother Maxx have put together, and I’ve been following them on Youtube for years.
Chase is an Army Vet and a certified health coach, but he and his brother really strike the right balance of maintaining health and strength, while being active and still living life fully.
As many of you all know, I spent 20 years in the military, and then worked for the Department of Defense as a civilian. I had my military retirement and after my bout with cancer I found myself in a job a didn’t really love.
I had been building my writing and speaking career on the side, but even though I was not enjoying my full-time job, it was HARD to give up the comfort and convenience of that steady paycheck.
Big life changes like that can be scary because you are making a leap in the unknown, but over the years I’ve been truly inspired by guys like Chase and Maxx as well as Nick and Preston Bare. Chase and Nick are both military vets who got out of the military without the benefit of a pension, and now they are doing amazing work building the jobs they love. What was my excuse for not pursuing my dream? Without knowing it, these guys helped me make the jump.
It was truly a treat to get to talk to Chase, and we covered all kinds of topics, including enlisting in the military, health and fitness, my book Three Points of Contact, setting and achieving goals, as well as keeping a journal.
Check out the full podcast above, on Apple iTunes, or anywhere else you listen to your podcasts. And while you’re at it, leave them a five-star review 🙂
As Chase and Maxx say, live a life ever forward.
Cheers,
~Greg
You can check out more from the Chewning Brothers with the links below:
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins Changed my LIFE!
Back in June of 2011 I had been cancer-free for one year. Coming back from stage III throat cancer was not easy, but as I sat in the University of Kansas Cancer Center waiting for my one-year follow-up, I had this nagging question that I couldn’t shake. The questions was “is this all that is left for me?” waiting with bated breath every year for a positive follow-up, to hear that “Things are fine Greg”.
I didn’t like that idea, but I didn’t know what to do about it. That’s when I saw this TEDx video from Mel Robbins:
Something happened when I watched that video in the waiting room at the Cancer Center. Mel introduced her “5 Second Rule” and it motivated me to make a change right then and there. I applied for a job in Germany while still sitting there before my appointment. It was Wednesday, June 15th 2011 at 2:30pm in the afternoon.
I got the job, and moved to Germany for five years. To say that single decision changed the course of my life is the understatement of the century. But it didn’t stop there. I decided to run more, and now have run 11 marathons. I decided to write a book, now it’s sold over 100,000 copies and is being used in universities and cancer centers around the world.
I can’t even imagine who I’d be or where I would be if I had stuck around in Kansas City waiting for that next positive check. Waiting for life to happen.
Of course, I’m not the only one. Over 8.4 million people have watched Mel’s video and her 5 Second Rule has been helping all kinds of people take control and change their lives. It’s been so successful that she made The 5 Second Rule into a book that just came out Feb 28th.
The basic premise is this: We all have things we want to do, or know we should do, yet we don’t do them. We hesitate, we wait, and we kill our progress with doubt, excuses, worry or fear. It could be anything from getting up early and going for a run, or voicing a new idea at work.
The point is this, when you feel that hesitation, start counting down from 5 to 1. When you get to zero, you act. You act before you brain has time to doubt, to fear, worry and to kill the idea. Now you have the law of inertia on your side (an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion).
Why does this work? I certainly can’t explain it better than Mel herself:
Whenever you feel an instinct fire up to act on a goal or a commitment, or the moment you feel yourself hesitate on doing something and you know you should do, you should use the Rule.
I’m really impressed with this book because she clearly maps out how to use this tool to:
– Become confident
– Break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt
– Beat fear and uncertainty
– Stop worrying and feel happier
– Share your ideas with courage
It is IMPOSSIBLE read this book without becoming motivated to attack all those things you want to get done. If it doesn’t motivate you, you’d better check your pulse! Mel knows that there is greatness in all of us, and it’s on the other side of our excuses.
So many great success stories in this book (including one about me, Thanks Mel!), but I’ll close with two quotes from Mel that really stuck me:
“The difference between people who make their dreams come true and those of us who don’t is just one thing: the courage to start and the discipline to keep going.”
There it is. 5 Seconds. Courage. Discipline. That’s all you need to succeed. So when to start?
“There is no right time. There is only right now. You get one life. This is it.”
Now get out there and make a change. Start with this book.
Cheers,
~Greg
BARE PERFORMANCE
I’ve been pretty impressed with the Nick and Preston Bare for some time now. They are beasts in the gym, they are running an incredible successful supplement at Bare Performance Nutrition, (I love, love the blueberry Pre-Workout) they are starting Bare Performance Gym in Texas, and the both have great You Tube channels (Nick’s is here, and Preston’s is here).
One of the things that these brothers do so well is their transparency. They are one of the first and only supplements on the market to not use proprietary blends, meaning they share the exact ingredients and measurements in their products.
But beyond their supplements, their You Tube channels are open, honest, and approachable about how they work out, manage nutrition and how they run their business.
I had a chance to talk on the phone with Nick the other day. I sent a twitter message that I’d like to say hello and he called 2 minutes later! He’s a Ranger tabbed Army Infantry Officer with a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. I really started binge watching his videos 3 months ago while he was serving/vlogging in Korea. I get so much energy watching this two young men.
They are transitioning before our eyes: Nick as a military officer and Preston moving from the corporate world to being a very successful entrepreneur! They are sharing their experiences via YouTube every other day. The videos are high quality and entertaining. With my business, writing my next book, speaking etc. I don’t have a ton of time, but I always make time to watch these two channels. Do you want a blueprint to run a business? become an entrepreneur? use social media as an effective way of marketing and you want to laugh? You must watch Nick and Preston.
Cheers and keep up the good work guys,
~Greg
Shout Out in the NCO Journal
As many of you know, I started my days in the military many years ago as a humble Airman in the Air Force, and overtime, worked my way up to being (slightly-less) humble NCO (non-commissioned officer).
I routinely speak at NCO Academies around the world and I’m honored anytime I get to stand up in front of these young men and women. They are doing amazing work and are at pivotal moments in their careers and lives. Being able to share some of my life-lessons with them is incredibly rewarding for me.
I can’t make it to every NCO Academy though, and certainly can’t talk with every NCO out there. Or so I thought.
This week the NCO Journal honored me by featuring my story on their homepage. This really means a lot to me, and I hope a few more NCOs out there can hear my message, no matter where they are in their careers. You can check it out here.
For those of you who are not familiar with it, the NCO Journal is the official magazine for non-commissioned officer professional development. It is published at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, and I had to pleasure of working with Pablo Villa throughout the process of writing this story.
So I’m sending a special thanks to the NCO Journal and to all the NCOs and Petty Officers out there. Thank you for your service, you are the backbone of our military.
Keep charging and Auf Geht’s!
Cheers,
Greg
Video Blog 003 ~ Journaling and Success
Welcome back!
For episode 003 I go to the Stuttgart Haupt Bahnhof and to where it all started for my 25 year ago. Journaling is something I’ve done throughout my whole life, through the ups and the downs. It’s a great way of dealing with stress, it’s a means of meditation and a way to set goals for yourself. It is fundamental to the ACTION portion of my Three Points of Contact.
What do you use your journal for? Write in the comments, and you could win a journal that I’ll send to you from Germany. Stay tuned for episode 004 ~ Hunt the Good Stuff.
Cheers,
~Greg
Notes:
The Power of Journaling. Recorded at the Stuttgart Main Train Station (Haupt Bahnhof).
Book referred:
Three Points of Contact
WED, 27 JAN 2016: Greg Cheek Speaks 003, Journaling and Success, Three Points of Contact.
Upcoming:
Thursday, 28 JAN 2016: Hunt The Good Stuff #htgs Start each day on a positive note and ready to seize the day. Three Points of Contact.
Friday, 28 JAN 2016: The Resiliency Piggy Bank. This fun activity will help you build resilience. Located in the Action section, page 19, Three Points of Contact.
A special thanks to the University of Kansas Hospital
At my last routine check up at the University of Kansas Hospital I took a few minutes to answer some questions about KU and some of the themes from my book.
I can’t say enough good things about the KU team, their work has been exceptional and they have truly become another family to me.
Special thanks to the KU Broadcast Studio for putting together such a great video!
Check out the video, and hope you enjoy!
~Greg
Live Longer with One Easy Step
“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the hell she is”
Ellen DeGeneres
Walk Your Way to Amazing Health
The New England Journal of Medicine recently reported on the twelve-year Honolulu Heart Study of 8,000 men. The study was conducted by the Kuakini Honolulu Heart Program (HHP) on the island of Oahu.
The study reports that walking just two miles a day cuts the risk of death almost in half. The walkers’ risk of death was especially lower for cancer.
Walking is a great activity and is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve your health. Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke, and many cancers.
- Longer, moderately-paced daily walks are best for losing weight.
- Shorter, faster walks are best for conditioning your heart and lungs.
Research has shown that people who walk approximately twenty to twenty-five miles per week outlive those who don’t walk by several years. You improve your chances of protecting the heart and circulatory system by raising HDL, the good cholesterol, and keeping weight down.
Make Walking a Habit—Just Like in Europe
“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world”
Paul Dudley White
I started walking with a pedometer to monitor my goals during my cancer treatment, and I’ve walked ever since. Europe’s walking culture is a main reason why I accepted a position in Germany as soon as possible. The healthy outdoor lifestyle of Europe is what I wanted—that was my “walking happy place.” I’ve walked off 40 pounds since I’ve been in Germany.
I’m alive today and stage III cancer free because I walk from the time I get up in the morning until I go to sleep at night. I walk amidst eleventh-century buildings, amazing culture, and the healthy and lively people everywhere. Walking is fitness, meditation, circulatory, and it cleanses my mind.
Amazing Daily Preventative Medicine
Research reveals that walking just an extra twenty minutes each day will burn off seven pounds of body fat per year
I’ve lived in Stuttgart, Germany for almost four years—everybody walks everywhere. This is the home of Mercedes, Porsche, and BMW, but the fitness of the citizens comes from walking. If you include walking in your daily activities, you will make this daily routine a preventive medicine jewell.
Europeans take public transportation everywhere—not a lot of sitting in front of the television and driving cars to work over here! Research shows that for every hour of brisk walking, life expectancy for some people may increase by up to two hours or more. Henry David Thoreau stated:
“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day”
The easiest way to walk more is to take action and make walking a habit. Think of ways to include walking into your daily routine.
- Walk part of your journey to work.
- Take breaks at work and go for a short walk.
- Park farther away in the parking lot.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Use public transportation as often as you can.
- Go for a walk after every meal.
- A pedometer will keep you accountable to your daily walking goal.
- Just make it a habit!
Cheers,
~Greg
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