Blog Author: Ryan Frazier, BS, LVT
NAVTA Member at Large
This past year was a hard one. I thought 2020 was tough, but it was nothing compared to 2021. I have never experienced the amount of loss I have had this past year. However, the amount of loss also came with a large amount of support within the veterinary community, from my job to groups like Not One More Vet Support Staff. Without this support, I am not sure how I would have gotten through the year. The amount of support offered through NOMVSS is so incredible, and the team is constantly working on ways to improve its offerings.
With all the challenges this past year brought, it also had some high points. I have been working on self-care and setting boundaries this last year. With this, my partner and I have worked on getting out and hiking more and having adventures around the beautiful state of Washington. One of my favorite hikes was at Bagley Lakes Loop trail Heather Meadows Bagley Creek in Mount Baker.
I have also started a Facebook group called Veterinary Support Staff Career Group that helps provide career advice for veterinary support staff. We have grown to almost 2,000 people in just a year. We have so many goals with this group and are partnering with DVM360 to continue to grow.
Working through my first year on the NAVTA board has been such a fantastic experience. The dedication and energy of my fellow board members have helped rejuvenate my passion for this field. It makes me want to do more to make positive changes!
This year more than ever has made me think of this saying “Life is a capnogram, full of peaks and valleys, and the only way out of the valley is to breathe.”