The Origins of our PIN

Hello. Hello. Welcome. You’re listening to Dr. Martha Reid at Doctors Choice Integrative Medicine in downtown Vancouver. A space where I bring passion, inspiration and nourishment to the conversation of your health.

So the question this episode is going to answer has less to do with health per say, and a little more to do with the foundations of my clinic. So, a patient asked me earlier this week, they said, “Hey, Dr. Reid, I noticed on virtually everything you put out into the world, there are these three words written below: Passion, Inspiration, and nourishment.”

“What is that all about? Where does that come from?”

Well, that kind of took me a little aback. I wasn’t entirely sure at first how to answer it, but then I thought, you know what? If this person is asking, maybe other people are asking too. And worth answering that question.

So a long time ago, I attended a course called “The Forum” by a company called Landmark Education. And it was recommended to me by a really dear, dear friend of my life, someone who I met when I was living in Greece at the age of 18.

And this particular someone, when I met them, they saw me and saw me right out of the gate. And that floored me. I don’t think I had felt (in my life up until that point) truly seen in my true, authentic way. And so we became fast friends, this person and I, and we traveled through Greece together and lived in this cool little place, doing all sorts of neat things. That’s a story for another time.

Anyway, years later, she said to me: You know what? I found this really neat course called “The Forum”, and I think you should check it out. I think you’d get a lot out of it.

So, I didn’t really look into it at all. This is not really my way. If somebody recommends something to me and I’m adventurous enough to go, yeah! Sounds great! Let’s check it out. And also, at the time that I was 19 and a half… 20, there wasn’t the same level of internet world connection that there is now, that you might just Google a recommendation and check it all out and see the reviews and all of that. That wasn’t really part of my world, then. And to be quite honest, not entirely part of my world now.

So anyway, I took that recommendation. I signed up for this course and off we went. And one of the exercises in this class was “find three words that define you” and in order to claim that for yourself, what you need to give up in the process.

That was really hard for me; to figure out what three words are truly my core? What three words really defined me at this moment.

So, it wasn’t a quick or easy thing, but over those three days it came to me (and this is where those words come from). Who I am is: passion, inspiration, and nourishment. And for that, I give up being afraid of you. That doesn’t mean I’m not afraid. I am afraid often But when I remember who I really am, my fear transforms into courage. And I can be who I am, regardless of my fear. And so, as a naturopathic doctor, in these times, it is not always easy: the philosophy I practice is different than the conventional medical model that we live in. It’s not better or worse. It’s different. And in so many ways incredibly supportive of the medicine that is our traditional medical model. But those three words: passion, inspiration, and nourishment keep me true to who I am. And help me to stay true to the ethos of the medicine that I practice.

I thanked that patient for asking that question this past week. And I am so thankful to be able to share this piece of my truth with you. When we speak our truth, it is often that we need to give something up in order to do that. And so my truth, I speak in giving up my fear. And I thank you for giving me the space to share.

If you have truth you would love to share (or need to share, or are compelled to share) I am open to hearing it, and I would love to give audience to your truth. You are welcome at any time to book a discovery call at my clinic and you will have space and listening to speak your truth.