Working as a veterinary technician can be demanding.  The demands that techs deal with tend to make it challenging to find a balance between career and one’s responsibilities outside of work.  Striking such a balance becomes even harder for professionals who are looking forward to having children.  Well, this is not really the case with Renee Machel a mother of two- including her new baby, Gavin, who was born 8 weeks ago.

Despite being a caring and loving mom who is always there for her children, Renee happens to be someone who is leading for the better in our industry. 

With over 15 years of industry experience, she is not only devoted to taking care of animals in her care but also training veterinary professionals on how to live a more mindful life.  Through this, she is able to help many professionals deal with challenges that emanate from poor wellbeing including compassion fatigue and burnout.    

In 2018, Renee Machel and Dr. Quincy Hawley founded  Get MotiVETed - a company that aims to deal with veterinary wellbeing by bringing light and positivity into focus.  The  company hopes to not only improving people’s wellbeing but also enhance the culture within clinics and organizations. 

Her efforts paying off.  Now, many people recognize her as a wellbeing speaker, certified life coach, yoga instructor, mindfulness, and meditation guide.  During her lectures, she openly shares challenges she has gone through before finally overcoming her wellbeing struggles.  She also talks about different topics of wellbeing including holistic personal/professional development, stress management, gratitude, leadership, mindfulness.

Her advice is simple, remember that we owe it to ourselves to enjoy our life to the fullest.

We caught up with the amazing new mom to find out more:

What I packed for the COVID-19 maternity ward:

That’s a long answer! Neil, my guy, thought I was moving in, you can check out my list here. What I will say is to pack more than what you think you may need. We ended up staying for 1 week in NICU and while at that time, Neil was able to leave once or twice, the COVID restrictions were increasing every day. Needless to say it was very scary for all. 

As far as COVID goes, I intentionally packed a pair of hotel slippers, and I tossed them after. Otherwise, I didn’t focus too much on that part of it. 

Gavin Jett,  was born in April.  I am sure he wiill be known as “Gavin the Jett” when he begins racing motocross! I have already started using #gavinthejett for my Instagram posts, so you can check him out if you want to follow an adorable baby. 

He also has an older brother, Braeden “Lil Ripper 195” who is 8.5 years old/

What I forgot to bring to the maternity ward that I dearly missed:

I left my lint roller at home. I travel with them and have at least two at my house- ready at all times. I shed, the pets shed, and lint shows up on black clothes, which is mostly what I brought. I wore a black tank and leggings more than once, and a roll-off would have made me appear and feel a tad cleaner than I actually was!

Once I started breastfeeding, my hair started shedding even more. 

I also would have brought two fleece blankets, one for me and one  for Neil. I only brought one with me so we had to share. 

 Why I chose to breastfeed

I am very happy about my decision to breastfeed. I changed my mind a bunch of times during the pregnancy. I knew at first that I wanted him to have breast milk for all of the great health aspects of it, but wasn’t sure about it. I considered just pumping. 

I’m a science nerd  at heart, and there is so much data that supports the many benefits for mom and baby, I had to try. 

After he was born, I realized breastfeeding was more comfortable than pumping. And of course, there’s definitely a connection between you and baby when you breastfeed. 

It’s simpler and quicker than bottle-feeding or pumping. Not having to prepare and warm up a bottle saves time and sleep. You don’t have to pack a ton of feeding supplies to leave the house either.  Plus, itt’s also more cost-effective.  

What is in my baby bag?  

1. Diapers, no less than 8, up to a sleeve 

2. Plenty of wipes

3. Blankets - at least 4 blankets (I used them to burp, cover him, cover us, cover car seat, all sorts of things, I like to have 2 flannel and 2 muslin)

4. Snacks for mommy - I always have water with me but I also need food. KIND bars and small packs of nuts are good to stash in the bag.

5. Coconut oil/Aquaphor - prevents/treats diaper rash 

 Best baby gift I received:

The best baby gift I received was a baby swing.  Anything that keeps baby happy while I can take care of myself is golden!

Why everyone needs to Get motiVETed 

As a veterinary professional, you don’t have to go it alone, wandering in the dark, and you don’t have to uncover every stone looking for the answers or the light. Get motiVETed has solutions and we have your back. 

Whether you are getting into the profession, or are a seasoned vet. Most humans don’t have formal training or education in managing stress effectively, creating balance, designing, and achieving an ideal life. It’s either expected that it is to just fall in your lap, or bitterness sets in and you expect your life to suck like that’s the way it has to be- we’re here to tell you, and show you how it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Many people have transformations in their lives only once they receive a scary diagnosis or some other rock-bottom catalyst happens. We want to help people even before they are pummeled by disease or traumatic life events, or suffering from chronic poor wellbeing from the pile-up of everyday life gone unchecked. 

Jaye-Lynn Orellano says it best, “when you bring wellbeing to the forefront, the business metrics and personnel challenges improve organically.” 

Books that left a last impression on me:

I love to read and I love to read books that inspire me.   Some of the books that made a lasting impression on me include Happy by Ian K. Smith, Boundaries by Dr. Townsend & Cloud, The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Universe in a Single Atom by the Dalia Lama, Seneca on the Shortness of Life, The Seven Spiritual Laws by Deepak Chopra, Happiness - Essential Mindfulness Practices by Thich Nhat Hanh, The Celestine Prophecy, Change your thoughts, Change your life by Wayne Dyer, Mind Over Mood by Dennis Greenberger, The 4-hour Workweek and Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferris, High-Performance Habits but Brendan Buchard, Waking up by Sam Harris...

How I clear my head after a stressful day:

Meditate, gratitude, write what is in my mind down on paper (freeing up bandwidth, if you will), laugh! watch a sitcom, long hot shower or bath.

Advice to my younger self:

You are not your mind and your mind can be trained. Trust the process and be less afraid, have more faith.

Change I would like to see in our profession:

I would like to see less stigma around wellbeing and efforts in what is termed as ‘self-help’. Life-long learners who are continuously developing is what will bring humanity to new levels. More access to education and the practice of self-management tools to empower individuals to create and maintain a higher level of wellbeing sooner in life.  I want people to have the tools and support to bounce back when something knocks them down and to keep most of what will knock them down at bay. To transform their lives, from the hand they were dealt, to the vision they each deserve. To spend more time, energy, and awareness on the good, which will, in turn, will grow.

I believe through integrating the work of companies like Vet Candy and Get MotiVETed into the workplace, educational systems, and lifestyles of people as early as childhood we will see a positive impact on people’s individual lives, in the veterinary community for workers, clients and pets and humanity as a whole.  

Why finding a purpose in life is important

Finding a purpose in life is key to happiness. It motivates you, with clear and loving energy. It generates hope, and when your mission is bigger than you are, the humbleness that comes with it keeps small life stressors at bay. It also anchors you, without one the aimless wandering itself can lead you to wellbeing struggles. 

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