When I was in medical school, I learned how every time you recalled a memory, it was never exactly the same as the first time. This is because as you age, your brain's connections alter the way in which a moment is remembered. It's like a story constantly being edited each time it is retold. The editor is a reflection of who you are at the time of recollection. Recognizing that each memory I had would forever be altered in the future made me appreciate living in the moment that much more.


With a new year approaching, everyone is always talking about creating a "new you." I understand wanting to reset your goals and intentions. However, instead of focusing on re-creating yourself or looking forward, I'd love for you to stop and take a second to be in the present, look at who you are and where you are right now. Reflect on how you got to this point.

As Maya Angelou stated: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This isn't just an observation - there is a biological reason for why this is true given the overlap between emotions and memory as organized in your brain (more specifically the limbic system).


I want you to appreciate those around you that have helped you get to where you are right now. How did they make you feel and how did you make others feel? Write it down in a journal or maybe even your own blog post because these memories will change but how the experiences have changed you and those around you will not.

For me, 2018 was 365 days of connections. From new people, to new places and opportunities, this year has forged a series of events that have made me value time spent with friends and family. My goals for this coming year are to build on these connections, live authentically, and focus on the present, not to live in the future or get caught up in the past.

As we wave farewell to 2018, keep in mind that we are also saying goodbye to these versions of our memories and in a way these versions of ourselves. Thus, you don't need to create a "new you" for 2019 when you are already a newer and truer version of yourself than you were moments ago.

This past week my friends and I had the opportunity to attend an exclusive fashion event at the mens fashion store Damari Savile near Washington Square hosted by Philadelphia Eagles players Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod.



These Super Bowl Champions know how to work it both on and off the field, each trailblazing their way through the fashion industry with their own clothing brand companies.



From Rodney McLeod's international collection known as Back of House USA to Malcolm Jenkin's custom-made men's suits (co-owned with Jay Amin) known as Damari Savile, their high-quality fabrics and designs will leave you wanting more.

Loved meeting Malcolm Jenkins and learning about his designs

Speaking of clothes, I got to paint the town red in my jaw-dropping Black Halo jumpsuit (compliments of Rent The Runway) complete with this gorgeous Represent jacket (see below). That jacket is the last one left so act fast and get yours at bohusa.com!

Great to see Rodney McLeod again!

In addition to clothes, we also visited Michele Plachter's interior design firm one floor above, where the ambiance was the envy of any and every homeowner in the city.



There were so many pieces to see, fun activities to do, and delicious hors d'euorvers to try, it was hard to keep track of where to go next.


On the first floor, we made beautiful bracelets by Moira Anne Artisan, with beads of all varieties. Custom jewelry truly is the perfect holiday gift this year!



Later, we ate to our heart's content as we watched the talented fashion illustration artist Denise Fike draw the attendees. She demonstrated how to pose and flawlessly produced a runway-worthy sketch that each of us got to keep.



"This one's going above the mantle," - my friend Lawrence exclaimed upon receiving his.



One of the highlights of the night was that every guest donated a toy for the Malcolm Jenkins Foundation, helping those in need and proving the spirit of teamwork and family exists both on and off the field. Find out how you can help donate by clicking HERE.

This week, my attending, nurse, and I were featured in our hospital's newsletter for being published in a nationally-renowned rehabilitation medical journal. It was wonderful to receive this recognition and even more rewarding to be able to share our knowledge with the medical community.

When it comes to getting published, sharing information, and expressing yourself, you need to be able to write. As a physician a large part of our day is documentation. We write for patients, insurance companies, other doctors and healthcare professionals anywhere from notes to prescriptions, letters, articles, and instructions. Medicine is science, but it is also art and with it comes the art of writing.

One of the biggest challenges we face in our career is that of writing the personal statement. We have to do this not just for college or medical school but also for residency and fellowship programs. Having both written and edited several of these, I developed my own list of tips and tricks to perfecting the personal statement:
Writing
When writing your first draft, do not confine yourself to word limits. Just write whatever stream of consciousness comes to mind to put everything you want to say into words. You can always go back and edit.

Show Don't Tell
Come up with 5 different experiences you have had, whether it’s working with a specific physician, treating a patient, an interaction, or a personal story.

Now it's time for you to take a look in the mirror, find a comfy seat and get to work!

Structure

Introduction paragraph 

Second paragraph

Third paragraph

Fourth paragraph

Conclusion paragraph

My favorite part about the beginning of a new month is setting new goals and intentions. Inspired by my favorite fitness instructor, Cassey Ho of Blogilates, I have decided to commit to Move this (as we in the health and wellness community like to call it) Movember.

After participating in a 5K with my residency program (and becoming #instafamous on the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/AAPMR's Instagram story!), I realized how much I missed exercising on a regular basis. These past few months, I have been attending classes with no set schedule or consistency. I wanted to gain that confidence back in my body, confidence so many of us forget to acknowledge (especially in the winter).


Between studying for our anatomy didactics block, working at the hospital, and taking on new commitments, I had placed my fitness on the back burner. As we tell our patients, Movement is Medicine, and it is so important to take care of your body. This month I aim to get back on track, committing to the lifelong journey of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and fitness routine. Who says you need to wait until New Year's for a resolution anyways?

As the weather gets colder and many of us want to stay inside, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to remind the #vitastics community that winter is not the time to hibernate your body but rather to cultivate it. Join me as I take on Cassey Ho's PIIT28 routine once again! Even if this is not the right fit for you, I encourage you to find your own fitness routine. Whether it's going to the gym, going for a walk, checking out ClassPass, or doing at home workouts like me, movement is medicine!

PIIT28 is a 28-day program I successfully completed during my intern year of residency that transformed my life both physically and mentally. It's essentially 28 minutes of high-intensity interval training with a Pilates foundation. To learn more about my first experience, check out my previous post (click HERE). You do a 6-minute warmup, complete four rounds of the 7-minute workouts, followed by a 9-minute cool-down/stretch session. I love that you can do it anywhere and you don't need anything but yourself, a mat, and the knowledge that you can do this! That's right: no weights, no equipment.

In addition to exercising every day, I am also going to do my best to adhere to the nutrition plan outlined in the PIIT28 Day Reset. This means no dairy, no added sugars, no gluten, no processed grains, and no alcohol.



The first time I followed the meal plan to a T. While it was hard work and isolating at times, I felt great by the end, building more confidence in my endurance and ability to say no to cravings. I love checking out Farmers Markets like Society Hill's to see what fresh organic fruits and veggies they have available.

That being said, this time, I am going to allow some leniency in certain restrictions because I don't want to deprive my body completely of my favorite things. I want to be able to enjoy my time out at events with friends and family. Plus, according to the Mediterranean diet, a glass of red wine once or twice a week can be beneficial!

There are plenty of healthy and delicious meals that can be made within the nutrition program including this delicious shrimp curry made with mushrooms, whole grain rice, peas, garbanzo beans, and squash.

If you'd like to check out the PIIT 28 routine I'm doing, click HERE.

If you'd like to check out the 28 Day Reset I'm also participating in, click HERE.

Don't forget to follow me on IG @doctor.cole for some inspiration :)

This Movember, let me know your favorite way to get moving! Leave a comment below.

Last week I got to go behind the scenes to one of Philadelphia's most iconic events: Philly Fashion Week. Taking place in the heart of Center City, the shows were held every night beneath a pop up runway in City Hall featuring designers like Jacinta Ligon, Hijabified, J Pratt, Chuks Collins (you could definitely see Zac Posen in his work),



Not only did I get to experience walking the runway pre-show, I was also granted access to the VIP booth. They had smoking cocktails (literally, dry ice and everything), models, designers, and more!

The main stars of course, were the designs. Every piece was so different and took such a bold step toward changing the way we see fashion. Check out Elisabeth Delgado's deep emerald showstopper. Jaws hit the floor when she spread her wings.


One of my favorite designers was Janne Prince - she had a beautiful "Under the Sea" fantasy vibe with lots of pearlescent mermaid feels. I was ready to start singing Part of Your World!

All in all, I am thrilled to have been part of the show's media group and to have connected with many of the designers and models. It takes so much work and effort to not only put on a show like this but to share your creations as a designer with an audience. In a sense, you are sharing a piece of yourself with the rest of the world. Thank you to the artists and to the hosts. And who knows? Maybe next year I'll make my catwalk debut in front of the camera! ;)

This weekend was unforgettable. My friend Priyanca (@priyanca) and I went to FearlessCon, a convention for ambitious women who get SH*T done.


Started by Melissa Alam (@ringthealam), CEO of Femme & Fortune, the conference is a gathering of strong, intelligent, driven women who are #borntobefearless. In contrast to the multitude of business and work conferences filled with rigidity, formality, and overall lack of diversity, FearlessCon was established as an educational forum filled with open-minded and open-hearted successful women who were relatable, approachable, and knowledgeable.



As stated on the website, "from creative entrepreneurs to corporate 9-5'ers, FearlessCon provides an inclusive space for multicultural and multi-passionate women to come together for a weekend full of inspiration, empowerment, and connection."

We went to workshops at Seer Interactive on Day 1 varying from topics on how to build a community rather than "networking" (Stephanie Newman @writingonglass) to how to get paid what you're worth. Along the way, we connected with women just like us, in fields ranging from medicine and technology to economics, engineering, and art.





Day 2 took place at Bok (a high-school turned conference center). We had the opportunity to listen to a variety of powerful women including the founders of Nasty Woman and @thestudentloandoctor.



They spoke about the trials and tribulations in finding their own place in the workforce as well as in life. The topics explored creativity, achieving the American Dream, mental health and our current political climate.



My favorite story was of Lindy Li, a TV host and political activist who graduated from Princeton University in 2012. She was valedictorian of her class and excited to give her speech on Commencement day. However, the day of graduation, she was told her speech (unlike the guest speaker's) would be cut due to time constraints and weather. She had spent four years to get to that moment in her life and she refused to back down. She was not letting anything, including the weather, rain on her parade. Ms. Li stood up for every woman who has ever been silenced. She marched to the microphone and without hesitation gave her entire speech. Hearing her open up about that experience, I could not have applauded louder or been more proud of her determination.


A big thank you to Melissa Alam for putting this conference together as well as to all the sponsors, speakers, and panelists.



Of course none of us could have survived without the amazing caterers (Namaste Nourish, SweetGreen, The SoulFull Project, PS. Snacks, Hungry Harvest, Red Bull, and so many more). Thank you for providing a delicious assortment of healthy snacks and meals.







 Read more about the conference here and don't forget to check FearlessCon's website so you can sign up next year.

My friends know how much I love freebies and introduced me to this amazing NYC store currently offering free earrings (this is not a joke). Of course, what better way to enjoy a free gift than to share it with my #vitastics community!

I am so excited to rock these beautiful handcrafted 14K gold Ivy Arc earrings by the Eco-Friendly NYC company SiiZU. They retail for $35 but are currently FREE!!!

You can find them by clicking the link HERE, then in the menu under "Shop" look under "Shop Jewelry" and select "Free Earrings." All you have to do is pay shipping (~$6) or if you'd rather, you can purchase a second pair of earrings and get free shipping.

There are currently seven different earring styles available:
















Which ones are your favorites? Leave a comment below!

And if you're looking for even more fashion inspiration, be sure to follow me on insta @doctor.cole to see the latest trends from Philly Fashion Week <3