Over the past four years or so, I’ve attempted to make physical fitness more of a priority in my life. What began as training for an upcoming Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Bike Tour has perpetuated to present day. This is something about which I am a bit proud. I’ve also come to embrace the infernal elliptical machine as a necessary evil. A muse most cruel in punishing your body so that you may feel ‘good’. The  elliptical burns energy but as the body recharges, it gives you more than it uses, allowing you to push through the pain it causes the next day.

On one particular day, I found myself watching Joel Osteen on stage in Texas. Mr. Osteen is an evangelical preacher known for extremely large congregations, writing inspirational self-help books, and constantly needing lots of money. In case you’re curious, watching this wasn’t really my choice; my Sunday morning cardio just happened to coincide with a program lineup of fishing shows and infomercials peddling foot-massagers. Pickings were rather slim.

Stripping out the religious portions of this particular sermon, one message that struck me as stunningly obvious (though often forgotten in daily life), was that of positive thinking. You really need to believe that something will be successful before it has the possibility of being realized. Consequently, proving that something can not be done doesn’t take much effort or forethought. Be it a project, or personal goal, how many people do you know who predict colossal failure but accidentally succeed? Unless you’re describing my attempts to bowl or play pool, I would say the answer is very few people.

We’re all a bit apprehensive about trying something new. The pharmacy world has experienced plenty of new in the past half-dozen years. I, for one, have been guilty of wanting to feel ‘safe’. Let someone else take the lead on minor ailments for example; whatever mistakes they make, or third party audit claw-backs they receive, staying on the sidelines until the bugs get worked out is certainly easier. The level of negative energy has been on the rise because the industry has taken a series of hits without enough visible wins. There has been progress, and we do try to highlight the works of specific pharmacists or sites in hopes they inspire others to follow their lead.

The phrase ‘keep your eye on the ball’ isn’t just meant to be a sports reference. A firm endpoint or goal is extremely important, for motivation and for measurement. If the endpoint is carefully developed and visualized ahead of time, the unforeseen challenges that could potentially create hurdles won’t slow you down. Not all negative energy is bad; it may uncover those hurdles earlier and allow for better planning, but just like a battery needs two terminals to create fuel, there has to be a balance.

So, I’m thinking we need to lean on each other to create a positive charge to bring that balance back. Our thoughts need to stay positive during these precarious times. We need to act,  and to charge toward those goals. Collaborative practices may be better developed in other provinces, but are beginning to take root in Atlantic Canada. With that comes a wealth of possibilities for prescribing, monitoring plans, authorizing lab tests, and outcome research.

Direct the current. Stay grounded. Feel the electricity.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.