Work + Life Reimagined Interview Series Feat. Dr. Christina Moore
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given that to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing. ”
Welcome to the Work + Life Reimagined monthly interview series!
In this monthly series, I feature successful accomplished women, working mamas, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and various professionals who dared to dream big and challenge the status quo. Each month you’ll meet a new vibrant person and learn about their life and career. We’ll talk about their greatest accomplishments, struggles, and how they define success for themselves to create a life and career they want, all on their own terms. We’ll also be discussing hot and controversial topics on what’s it like to be a working woman and how we can continue to take action towards continual progressive change of equality in the workplace.
I hope this series will inspire you to take action in your own life. As you read the stories of all these amazing people take note of their own struggles and the tools and tricks they use to adopt a more positive mindset and push through their own fears, doubts, and insecurities to create success on their terms.
Dr. Christina Moore and Dr. Jeni Waeltz meeting up at Fair Oaks Farm in Indiana back in 2017 after spending a year and a half apart!
This month’s interview series features my dearest friend, Dr. Christina Moore. Dr. Moore is currently the Senior Director of Doctor Recruiting at Pathway Vet Alliance and Thrive Affordable Vet Care. She gets to travel the country to various vet schools and conferences and now leads two teams of amazing doctor recruiters. Dr. Moore graduated in 2012 from Texas A&M with her DVM and MBA. After vet school, she did a rotating internship at VCA Fifth Avenue Veterinary Specialists and then worked as a general practitioner before stepping into her recruiting roles. She is married to the love of her life and together they have the cutest two-year-old little boy.
Dr. Moore and I have recently partnered with Brief Media, publisher of Clinician’s Brief, to bring the first Vibrant Vets Retreat: a day focused on wellbeing and mindfulness for the veterinary community. The retreat is scheduled to take place in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 19, 2020.
We created the Vibrant Vets Retreat to bring inspiration, coaching, and education to veterinary professionals, so you can find your joy, live your most vibrant life, and create a sustainable veterinary career.
At the Vibrant Vets Retreat, you can connect with fellow veterinary professionals as you practice actionable strategies for self-care, mindfulness, personal and professional development, leadership, and much more.
STAY TUNED as tickets will go on sale this week!
National VBMA days circa 2009 and 2010. Put into a scrapbook album in 2014.
Christina and I first met back in the summer of 2009 at the AVMA Convention in Seattle after we both were elected to serve on the 2010 National VMBA board. The two of us formed an instant connection and over the past 10 years our paths continued to cross again and again. Our story is one of long-distance friendship, girl power, and the power of your network.
When I was moving back to Chicago shortly after graduation in 2011, Christina was doing an externship at the VCA support office. She put in a good word for me and helped me get my first private practice vet position at VCA.
Then in 2014, a few months after I started my Recruiting and Professionals Relations Director role for VCA, Christina called me telling me she wanted to move closer to NYC where her boyfriend (now husband) was living so they didn’t have to do long distance. I told her about my recruiting role, how awesome it was, and how there was an opening for the same position in the Northeast. I then returned the favor from years ago and gave others within VCA a heads up she was interested in the position. Shortly after, we were working together in the same role just two different regions.
After I went back into practice to travel less when the kids were really little Christina joined Thrive. We kept in touch and eventually all her talk about how amazing the company was convinced me to return to recruiting, and I came back to briefly lead the recruiting team at Pathway.
Christina was one of the first people I told when I was contemplating this journey of starting my own business and her support has been incredible. She even came with me to the first coaching module for iPEC’s certified coaching program.
As we excitedly prepare the content for the Vibrant Vets Retreat, I wanted to kick-off my monthly interview series with Christina. We talk less about work and more about life, motherhood, and ways others can take action in their own life to create their own happiness.
Thanks for reading!
To get started, can you tell my audience a little bit about yourself and what YOU ARE currently doing now?
I am a veterinarian, turned veterinary recruiter, turned leader, coach, and motivator of veterinary teams. I now am the Head of Doctor Recruiting for Pathway Vet Alliance and still supporting the Thrive recruiting team. I have extensive experience building teams of all types including veterinarians, technicians, and front staff.
Dr. Christina Moore and the executive team at Thrive Affordable Vet Care.
Wow. Seems like you are doing amazing things and have accomplished so much. Talk to me about what’s it like to keep up with it all?
Laughter. I’d love to say that I am incredibly organized and super-efficient at everything but unfortunately that is not the case. I always say that I hire people that are super “OCD” to balance the fact that I am not, so that they can handle all the organization and important process-driven things, and I can help work on big idea projects to help support them.
You know, I think balance just comes from prioritizing. From making sure that you're always focusing on what's most important. I really try to look at my day and say, “Alright what do I have to get done in the morning, before I go to work.” Right now that’s the miracle morning and the gym. That seems to be working really well for me, to give me the energy to get through the rest of the day and do everything I want to get done. In the evenings, I devote myself to my family and make sure I spend quality time with them. I always try to drop the phone and laptop at the door and just focus on them for a few hours before bedtime. Then if I have other stuff I have to work on or projects or whatever, I might do that later in the evening once the little guy has gone to bed. Or maybe that time is focusing on spending time with my husband.
Talk to me more about your morning routine and how you have been able to prioritize your health and wellness.
(I should note, Christina is one of the most dedicated people to her health and fitness that I know!)
Over the years it has changed a lot. It depended on where I was in life, where I was in my career, and where I was in building a family. When it was just me, I would easily get up at 4 am or 4:30 am in the morning and be at the 5:00 am or 5:30 am Crossfit class.
Dr. Moore’s health and fitness is not limited to her personal life. She loves promoting an active lifestyle with her team.
I am naturally a morning person. I like mornings so doing that first class in the morning just woke me up and gave me energy. And made me feel good for the rest of the day.
That’s what I did for a very, very long time for quite a few years and then I had my son. Then all of a sudden priorities changed. Then it became hoping to just get 30 minutes in the day at some point to run or walk or lift some weights. Whatever I could possibly do, even having him in the stroller and going, I would try to fit in some physical activity.
And for a long time, I didn’t have a good morning routine and we were working out his sleep schedule. Now I’m back to being able to focus mornings by myself because he is sleeping really well. Now I get up at 4 am and I do 45-60 minutes worth of the Miracle Morning routine which includes: silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, and reading.
(Miracle Morning is a movement started by Hal Elrod about starting your day with a practice routine that the most successful people do. This routine alone will change your life. Christina and I are obsessed with this routine. Click here to buy the book. I don’t have an amazon affiliate link yet, but trust me this book is great!)
I then head to the gym for the 5:30 or 6 am class. Then I head straight to work. Luckily we have a shower in the office and I can shower there and then get right to work early. I like to get to work early so I can beat the traffic home later and get home at a decent time.
What age was Magnus before you felt you were able to start getting your old routine back?
Magnus started sleeping a good 11 -12 hours every night when he was a year old. I co-slept with him until he was 6 months, then we starting putting him into his crib and nursery. I’m not saying co-sleeping is the way to go. I’d like to not do that with the next child, but it was the only way I felt I could survive. And neither of us could get any sleep at that time. So at 6 months he went into his own crib, and we did sleep training and I was still breastfeeding 1-2 times in the night. It took him until he was a year old to get him sleeping for 11-12 hours.
When you are having bad days what do you do to cheer yourself up?
I wouldn’t even say I cheer myself up. I would say I don’t even have a choice. When things are going in ways I wouldn’t like them too or something hits me hard, I remind myself I have a choice. I can decide how I want to react to this situation. That is what I have the power to control. I have the power about how this is going to affect me and how I am going to react here. This mindset always helps steer me in a positive direction.
If there is something that someone else has caused or an email that has got my blood boiling or whatever it is, what I do is take a step back, take a few deep breaths, and remind myself to assume the best intentions. I try not to assume that they meant to hurt me or challenge me or make my life harder. It’s easy to go there. Instead, I ask myself, “what do they really mean here?” And if I need to, I pick up the phone and I call and ask and not be hijacked by an email that I am assuming something.
Really it is just all about choices and mindset. I have the power to determine how I am going to be effective and how I am going to react.
To our readers that may have similar goals one day of becoming a non-traditional, non-practicing vet, what are some of the things you would tell them to get started?
This question comes up a lot. I have had students stay, “Well what about your career path. I want to do what you do”.
Dr. Christina Moore and some of her teammates traveling at the airport. Love their matching socks. A fun culture is a top priority.
Then I talk to veterinarians, those same veterinarians 2-3 years later now in practice ask me the same question because they are ready to get out of practice. I ask them why do they want to get out of practice. They say because they are tired of dealing with the people.
But the reality, my job is literally dealing with people all day long. So if you want to get away from people, I don’t recommend this role.
What I do recommend is you think about in your current job and ask yourself, “What makes me the happiest? What do I love the most about what I am currently doing?”
For some people that maybe the science. They just really love the science behind every single case. For other people that may be the problem-solving aspect. They like finding the differentials, doing all the testing. And getting to a diagnosis, a treatment, and a cure. Solving that problem. Or maybe that is surgery for them. They want to solve problems quickly.
Different people are going to love different things.
If your favorite thing is about the clients, and the relationships, and learning about their lives and families. Or maybe if you are a matchmaker in your personal life. Then recruiting might be a cool life for you.
But maybe if you find that the science is what you love most, maybe you want to go into research or maybe you want to do something with a pharmaceutical company.
There are just so many different options. And just because I look so happy doing what I am doing, you may think that is what you want. But I am happy doing what I am doing because I have realized what makes me happy and I am doing that. Find what makes you happy and then do more of that.
Speaking of what makes you happy. This blog post will launch the week we launch our Vibrant Vets Retreat. Tell my audience what makes you so happy about this event coming soon?
I am really excited to see people feel empowered to have the same choice about choosing happiness for themselves on a daily basis. To find a way to say, “I am not going to let every angry client affect me in a negative way.” “I am going to feel empowered to maintain positivity through those tough situations and find the bright side and find a resolution.”
I’m excited to see people feel empowered to create better relationships in their personal lives, to do more for themselves, and find what makes them happy. To find what makes them feel more centered and grounded, more successful, more proud of themselves and what they are doing, and ultimately happier in their job.
I know a lot of that stuff sounds kind-of lofty, but I am just excited to see each individual take something away from this. And that's the point of this retreat is to give people tools and then teach them how to use them. Not just here’s the lake, here's the fishing pool, go figure it out, but let's fish together during that day so that tomorrow when you go back home you have the skills and you know how to use them. Of course, it is going to take some time and some practice, but at least you have a good head start.
I’m going to be really excited to hear from them afterward to see if they took something away and if they are still doing it. And if they feel better because of it. I hope we can have an impact and that people will feel empowered to improve their own lives after the day they spend with us.
Do you have any big current dreams you can share with us?
Gosh -- if you look at my affirmations you would see I want to create something game-changing, something that can change lives. I am hopeful that this is how we will do that.
Dr. Christina Moore with her husband, Oliver, and their son, Magnus.
Speed Round:
What is your best working mom hack? Have an amazing husband that helps with everything.
Ha. Sounds like you found the right man.
What is the last best book you read? I’m currently reading the 5 love languages. That has been totally enlightening about myself as well as others around me. Highly, highly recommend that one.
What is your best thing to help you stay motivated when you just don’t feel like doing something?
Exercise. Get your blood pumping. Get moving. For me sometimes after I sit at the desk for too long, I start to go cross-eyed. My brain won’t think straight anymore. I just get up and do a couple of laps around the office and that helps clear it up. Even if that is get up and walk around your block or do 20 jumping jacks. I don’t care whatever it is. Just move, get your blood flowing, and get that oxygen to your brain. And it is good for you.
Thanks again for Dr. Moore for being part of this series. Christina was once called Joy, you know the Joy from Disney Pixar’s Inside Out. Well, I tell you, this woman is so filled with joy, energy, and life. If you need some extra motivation on how to work smarter not harder, some health advice, or just some laughs, you can find Christina on her IG feed @aim4myjoy. And remember she is leading the recruiting teams at Pathway Vet Alliance and Thrive Affordable Pet Care, in case you are in search of a new job!
Please leave us a comment and let us know what you learned from Christina -- we’d love to hear!
If you are interested in participating in this interview series please reach out here.
See you next month -- until then, remember to challenge the status quo and create a work and life reimagined.
Jeni
If you're ready to take your personal and professional journey deeper, book your free discovery session with me today to learn more about my life/career and leadership coaching programs.
