The Ennea-what??

Posted in The Enneagram, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

The Ennea-what?? 20 minutes with the Enneagram

For those of you familiar with the Enneagram Personality Framework, you’ve likely come across this blog post and joyfully proclaimed…..”Yes, I LOOOOOVE the Enneagram!”

If you’ve never heard of the Enneagram before, your response is probably, “The Ennea-what?”

I get these responses all the time when presenting on the Enneagram and I love both! On the one hand, people who are familiar with the Framework and have taken an assessment before gladly share their Enneagram Type with me. On the other hand, folks who have never heard of it before, give me a look of bewilderment and/or total confusion……but I love that look too! It lets me know that I most likely have an interested person standing in front of me whom I can “WOW” with the discoveries that come from an exploration into The Enneagram Personality Type Framework.

One of the most powerful things about the Enneagram is that even if you don’t know someone’s type, you come to understand that others (including people you work with, family members, those you may be in personal relationships with, etc) likely have different motivations than you. Understanding the Enneagram framework is a highly effective COMMUNICATION tool that can be used in the workplace and in our interpersonal relationships of any kind.

I’m an Enneagram Coach & Consultant.| “Wait…………aren’t you a Podiatrist?” Yes, I am! I’m a Full time Physician-Entrepreneur who uses my expertise in the Enneagram every. single. day! I use it to address the individual needs of each of my patients in my private medical practice. One of the reasons I’ve been so successful in medicine is because of an awareness of my own personality type and how to successfully interact with others having different (or even the same) personality types. I desire to help others, individuals and teams, to journey on this path of exploration as well! An understanding of the Enneagram improves COMMUNICATION, breaks down barriers, and helps us understand that people navigate this world based on MOTIVATIONS unique to them.

So, the point of this blog post is to introduce you to The Enneagram, if you haven’t heard of it before, and engage your curiosity even more if you have!

According to the Enneagram Model, there are 9 different Personality Types and everyone has a dominant personality type that they align with. No one type is better than another. The Enneagram examines individual’s core motivations, beliefs and fears and groups them into 9 different “Types” based on that information.

An exploration into your Enneagram type can feel like someone took the lid off your brain and took a look inside lol! It’s a psychology based model, so it’s amazing how accurate it can be.

You may have taken other personality tests in the past such as Myers-Briggs, the DISC Profile, the Predictive Index or the True Colors Personality Test. The Enneagram is another tool in the Personality Test Tool Box. I’ve taken all the tests mentioned above. However, The Enneagram is the framework that I’ve found people really, REALLY resonate with once they’ve taken an assessment and identify their number! They will proudly tell you, “I’m a 1!” or “I’m a 7!”, etc.

So, here’s a quick overview of each of the 9 Types:

Type 1 | The Reformer/Perfectionist : Prepared. Rational, Idealistic. Organized. Principled. Purposeful. Genuine. Self Controlled. Perfectionist. High Standards.

Type 2 | The Helper : Nurturing. Caring. Understanding. Demonstrative. Relatable. Generous. People Pleasing. Possessive. Hard working.

Type 3 | The Achiever : Efficient. Success-oriented. Pragmatic. Confident. Adaptive. Excelling. Driven. Image conscious. Desire to be recognized.

Type 4 | The Individualist : Deep thinkers. Sensitive. Can be Withdrawn. Desire to stand out – be different. Expressive. Dramatic. Temperamental.

Type 5 | The Investigator : Intense. Critical Thinker. Perceptive. Curious. Innovative. Independent- Thinker. Secretive. Isolated. Analytical.

Type 6 | The Loyalist : Committed. Values Consistency. Problem Solver. Security-oriented. Engaging. Seeks Affirmation. Responsible. Anxious. Suspicious. Prepared.

Type 7 | The Enthusiast : Busy. Fun loving. Always up for an Adventure. Spontaneous. Versatile. Social Butterfly. Distractible. Scattered. Positive Vibes Only mentality.

Type 8 | The Challenger : Assertive. Powerful. Dominating. Self-Confident. Decisive. Willful. Confrontational. Likes to be in control.

Type 9 | The Peacemaker : Trusting. Easygoing. Sees all sides of a situation. Receptive. Optimistic. Reassuring. Agreeable. Complacent. Good Listener.

Do you want to engage with The Enneagram via an in-person workshop or personal coaching session? Shoot me an email and let’s chat! All workshops come with an Enneagram Workbook (created by ME!) to guide you along your journey of self-discovery and improved communication & interaction with others!

Email: dr.carmenapril@gmail.com

Dr. Carmen April

Dr. Carmen April-Washington is an entrepreneur, community leader, and living enthusiast. For over 20 years, Dr. Carmen has been leading teams and empowering others to design their lives with intention. She’s been recognized as a 2021 Junior League of Nashville Outstanding Active of the Year Paragon Award recipient, 2020 Nashville Business Journal Women of Influence Award Recipient, Nashville Emerging Leader (NELA) Award Winner, a Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient, is a Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter, Young Leaders Council (YLC) Leadership Institute and is a Nashville Power Moves Award Winner. She’s a Podiatrist and Owner of The Foot And Ankle Healthcare Center in the Nashville, TN area. She’s also the creator/owner of “Design Your Story Coaching & Consulting” and is available for Enneagram Coaching & Consulting and speaking engagements on Small Business Entrepreneurship.

14Mar2023

Calming Your Mind – Easy to Do Meditation Tips

Posted in Manifesting, Mindfulness, Motivation, Self Care, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

Calming Your Mind – Easy To Do Meditation Tips

A wonderful way to clear the mind of the stresses and worries of the day is via Meditation. Some people have preconceived notions of meditation being difficult and think “How in the world do I have time to sit and MEDITATE every day?”. However, with some practice and intentionality, you will find that taking time to meditate is not hard at all.

Tips on how to start your meditative practice

What’s one of the hardest parts about developing a meditative practice? Hint: I mentioned it in the paragraph above – Intentionality! In fact, the hardest part has nothing at all to do with actually meditating.

The key is to JUST. GET. STARTED. Once you start to see the power in meditating and the results it brings you, it becomes habit. You will begin to intentionally carve out time to meditate regularly. Starting out may be tough because forming a new habit can be, but remember to get started and stay consistent. It takes 21 days to form a new habit!

Set a goal of meditating daily for at least 4 weeks- remember, it takes 21 days to form a new habit, but I suggest you push yourself a bit further and go for 4 weeks! Once you get to the end of the 4 weeks, evaluate the process and whether the meditation has made a difference for you

Try these meditation tips below:

1. Decide on a consistent time every day to meditate. Start with small time periods – 15 min in the beginning. As the weeks move on, shoot for 20-30 min daily. Many people find that setting aside this time right as they wake up in the morning or before they go to bed at night works for them. I like to close my eyes and meditate at my desk during lunch. Whatever time you choose, make it a priority.

2. Mediate in a chair or if you choose the floor, that’s fine too. I would personally refrain from lying down to meditate. Lying down signals “sleep” to our bodies. Try not to slouch, either. Rest your hands in your lap and pay attention to the feeling of the chair, floor, etc you are sitting in or on.

3. Direct your attention to your breath. Focus on your breathing in and out….in and out……in and out. Really pay attention to your breathing. One thing I always do with my patients when I’m administering injections or performing any procedures that may be painful is to have the patient focus on their breathing…”Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.” Imagine breathing IN good energy and breathing OUT the bad energy with each cycle. Focus on making those breaths long, deep breaths

4. Your mind will likely wander and that’s ok. Allow those thoughts and then let them fade away. As well as you can, refocus your attention on your breathing.

5. Meditation should definitely relax you – too relaxed and you will likely fall asleep. Resist the urge to sleep. Fight the urge to sleep. Maintaining that good posture helps.

6. Stay consistent. Set an alarm to remind you to meditate or write it in your daily planner or on a sticky note. Once mediating becomes a habit, it will likely not feel like a chore. There will certainly be days that get so hectic that you may skip meditating in a formal sense, but consistency will allow it to become second nature. When I get overwhelmed looking at a full email inbox daily, I literally take my hands off my keyboard, close my eyes and breathe deeply in what I like to think of as “mini meditation sessions”.

Meditation helps us focus, brings a peaceful perspective to our life and relieves stress. It is used to energize as well as relax, motivate and bring calm. Our brains take in A LOT of information daily – treat it to a break and be rewarded with the benefits meditation brings!

1Jun2021

2021 Junior League of Nashville Paragon Award Recipient

Posted in Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Gratitude, Inspiration, Junior League of Nashville, Leadership, Success, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

2021 Junior League of Nashville Paragon Award Recipient for Outstanding Active Member of the Year

I’m so very honored to have been chosen as one of the 2021 Junior League of Nashville Paragon Award Recipients!

There are 3 categories of this honor given each year and the award I’ve received is the “Outstanding Active Member of the Year” Award. This annual award is presented to the Junior League of Nashville member who best exemplifies the purpose of JLN and is committed to promoting volunteerism and improving the community through effective action & leadership of trained volunteers.

This is icing on the cake to end a great League year, even in the midst of a global pandemic! The Junior League of Nashville is near and dear to my heart and I’m committed to the dual mission of serving the community and developing the leadership potential of women. I’m more than honored to be a recipient!

Dr. Carmen April is an entrepreneur and community leader recognized as a 2021 Junior League of Nashville Outstanding Active of the Year Paragon Award recipient, 2020 Nashville Business Journal Women of Influence Award Recipient, Nashville Emerging Leader (NELA) Award Winner, a Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient, is a Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter, Young Leaders Council (YLC) Leadership Institute and is a Nashville Power Moves Award Winner. She is a Podiatrist and Owner of The Foot And Ankle Healthcare Center in the Nashville area. She served as one of the 2 chairs of the Inaugural RiseUp! Women’s Summit presented by Junior League of Nashville in 2021. She is a Reiki Master, a Law of Attraction Practitioner, and an advocate for the power of positive thinking! She’s also the creator/owner of “Design Your Story Coaching & Consulting” and is available for Enneagram Coaching & Consulting and speaking engagements on Small Business Entrepreneurship.

6Mar2021

Racism is a Social Determinant of Health

Posted in Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Junior League of Nashville, Self Care by Dr. Carmen April

Racism is a Social Determinant of Health

Junior League Of Nashville Racial Disparities Panel — 2021 Junior League of Nashville Health Disparities in the African American Community Panel: Dr. Carmen April (Upper Left) | Dr Herve Damas (Upper Right) | Mr Kwane Drabo (Lower Left) | Dr. Renee Williams (Lower Right)

I enjoyed moderating a great panel discussion last evening on the topic of Health Disparities in the African American Community, for Junior League of Nashville. In my opening remarks, I shared a little bit about exactly what social determinants of health are.

There are very real and structural reasons for these disparities and these reasons have absolutely nothing to do with some sort of genetic or physiologic inferiority. The concept of race is, in fact, a made-up construct with no biological or physiological basis. It’s a social construct created to divide and conquer. The disparities are a result of factors such as geography, where African-Americans live and play, lifestyle factors, education, access to healthcare, economic stability, and a distrust of the healthcare system by some in the African-American community. And racism….

Racism, not race, is a major social determinant of health.

How can we affect change? Social Determinants of Health are responsible for 80-90% of health outcomes while clinical care only accounts for 10-20% of health outcomes! Knowing this, it’s appropriate to say that financial resources, proper funding, and physical resources (and as was mentioned in the chat box during the discussion – “Where the money resides!!”) invested into long-term programs that address food desserts, inequities in education, poverty, and safety issues that disproportionately affect minority neighborhoods can make a huge difference and result in meaningful impact.

I’m proud that we, as a League, held this panel discussion to breakdown the issues surrounding Health Disparities and ways to positively affect change ♥️

To Dig Deeper into Health disparities & Social Determinants of Health, check out the following resources:

Structural Racism: The Root Cause of the Social Determinants of Health from Harvard Law: https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2020/09/22/structural-racism-social-determinant-of-health/

Racism as a Social Determinant of Health Inequities from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: https://healthequity.globalpolicysolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/RacismasSDOH.pdf

Social Determinants of Equity & Social Determinants of Health from the Department of Health and Human Services (96 page PDF) : https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/Assets/pdf/Checked/1/CamaraJones.pdf

6Dec2020

RiseUp! Women’s Summit: Presented by Junior League of Nashville

Posted in Branding, Inspiration, Junior League of Nashville, Leadership, Motivation, Networking, Success, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

Dr Carmen April Washington & Kristy Vanderford Brink — ***RiseUp! Women’s Summit Co-Chairs, Dr. Carmen April-Washington (R) & Kristy Vanderford-Brink (L)***

I’m so pleased to announce the launch of the RiseUp! Women’s Summit: Presented by Junior League of Nashville! As one of the 2 chairs for this inaugural event, I am more than excited that registration is now LIVE, our speaker list is available and the schedule is set for Saturday January 30th, 2021!

This summit is sure to be a power-packed day of inspiring panels, workshops, and presentations designed to encourage and motivate women to kick off their 2021 with a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

We have an amazing line-up of professional women who will interact with us on a variety of topics ranging from wealth creation & managing our personal finances to personal & professional development. We’re weaving a lot of “sweet” surprises into the day and can’t wait for all of you to experience them!

Always remember: Your life is an occasion, Rise up to it!

www.jlnWomensSummit.com

Dr. Carmen April is an entrepreneur and community leader recognized as a Nashville Business Journal 2020 Women of Influence Award Recipient, Nashville Emerging Leader (NELA) Award Winner, a Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under Forty Award Recipient, is a Graduate of the New Leaders Council Institute – Nashville Chapter, Young Leaders Council (YLC) Leadership Institute and is a Nashville Power Moves Award Winner. She is a Podiatrist and Owner of The Foot And Ankle Healthcare Center, PC in the Nashville area. She is a Reiki Master, a Law of Attraction Practitioner, and an advocate for the power of positive thinking! Dr. April is available for speaking engagements on Leadership & Life Leadership for College Students and Young Professionals and is the creator of the “Design Your Story” Women’s Empowerment Series.

4Sep2020

It starts with 2 simple questions

Posted in Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Inspiration, Leadership, Mindfulness, Motivation, Success, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

It starts with 2 simple questions

It starts with 2 questions

Microsoft Founder Bill Gates asks 2 major questions every time he’s facing an issue he is trying to address. They are “Who has dealt with this problem well? And what can we learn from them?”

“Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve tackled every big new problem the same way: by starting off with [those] two questions. I used this technique at Microsoft, and I still use it today,”

I love this approach because it’s similar to how I solve issues. I enjoy learning from others and people who have traveled a similar road before. I love podcasts, self-help books and documentaries for this very reason. It’s also why I created this blog many years ago…..I love sharing info that not only inspires me, but helps others along their journey as well.

Check out the entire CNBC article on Gates’ approach HERE.

31Mar2020

End Slavery Tennessee launches “Someone Like Me” Podcast

Posted in Inspiration by Dr. Carmen April

End Slavery Tennessee Launches a NEW Podcast :

“Someone Like Me”

End Slavery Tennessee provides specialized case management and comprehensive aftercare for human trafficking survivors and tactically addresses the problem through advocacy, prevention and training of front line professionals.

Survivor stories. Busted Myths. Lives Changed.

End Slavery Tennessee’s official podcast, Someone Like Me, features powerful stories of human trafficking told by those who experienced them firsthand. Someone Like Me is hosted by Leslie Eiler Thompson alongside End Slavery Tennessee’s founder, Derri Smith. On this podcast, you’ll hear real stories from actual survivors who are graduates of the End Slavery Tennessee program. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how people become human trafficking victims and the many obstacles in their recovery. You’ll also hear updates from program leaders about initiatives in this vital work and educate yourself as they dissolve common myths around human trafficking.

The purpose of this podcast is to amplify the voices of human trafficking survivors, highlight the work of End Slavery Tennessee, and shed light on the complex emotional factors that lead to trafficking and hinder recovery. I encourage you to listen to the stories.

Much of what the survivors discuss is very hard to hear and may even bring you to tears. Hopefully, it will also lead you to action.

Podcast Website: someonelikemepodcast.com

End Slavery Tennessee website: endslaverytn.org

Through my volunteer work with the Junior League of Nashville, I’m a member of the Human Trafficking Public Awareness Committee and provide trainings on behalf of End Slavery Tennessee to educate the community on the realities of Human/Sex Trafficking.

Below, I’ve included another recent way I was able to help supply some needs of this wonderful organization

ESTN donation

End Slavery TN recently put out a call for donations of Yearly Planners to be distributed directly to survivors needing to track their many appointments. Being a person addicted to my planners and weekly schedules, I made a trip to the store to gather up several! I hope they are a blessing to those who receive them 🙂

ESTN Donation

As a Podiatrist, foot health and comfort is extremely important to me. When I was in the store buying planners, I turned around to find several pair of shoes on sale in the next aisle over!! So you know it…..I had to get them! I was able to snag almost 20 pair of the cutest shoes and booties for the survivors and hope these bless them as well 🙂

ESTN has a donation request list on their website. If you ever feel inclined to help or want to know of ways to donate and directly support the organization , here’s the link for the Ways to Give section of their website.

26Mar2020

Don’t Pretend That Stress Doesn’t Exist

Posted in Inspiration, Mindfulness, Self Care by Dr. Carmen April

Don’t Pretend That Stress Doesn’t Exist

Stress

We are in the middle of the COVID-19 global pandemic (whatever “middle” means) and it seems that everyone’s world has been turned upside down by all the cancellations, closures, restrictions, quarantines, and self-isolation. As a physician-entrepreneur, I’ve been in my office seeing patients, even though my patient volume has been down. Several patients have called our office to say they are afraid to leave their homes because they fit the age demographic they’ve been told is at higher risk. Others, who have been impacted financially, can’t afford the co-pay or office visit fee right now.

At any rate, a lot of folks have some level of anxiety about all of this. No matter what industry you are in, where you work, your health status, etc., we are in uncharted territory. Don’t pretend that stress doesn’t exist.

I came across this article from Harvard Health Publishing that talks about “Harnessing the Upside of Stress”. Hopefully, it will give you a different perspective on how to harness this strange energy we’ve all been feeling. Check out this excerpt from the article:

“Changing your mindset doesn’t mean taking a Pollyanna view of the world. The key isn’t to deny stress, but to recognize and acknowledge it—and then to find the upside, because a full-throttle fight-or-flight response is not the only possible reaction to stress (at least when the stress does not involve a potentially life-threatening situation).”

Take care of yourself and those you love, everyone!

17Mar2020

No Act of Kindness is too small

Posted in Gratitude, Inspiration, Leadership, Uncategorized by Dr. Carmen April

No Act of Kindness is Too Small

Pray For Nashville

“No Act of Kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

When the tornado blew through Nashville in the middle of the night/early morning of March 3rd, 2020 it left with it a path of destruction, unimaginable to any of us who went to sleep Monday night thinking Tuesday would be business as usual. I live about 10 minutes from where most of the damage in Nashville took place and, honestly, slept through it. I woke to tons of text messages from family and friends checking in to make sure we were safe. The news was non-stop that day with live coverage of all the destruction. Having been through a fire to my townhome the first year I lived in Nashville, I remember how good the residents of this city were to me and waited for direction on ways to help those affected by the tornado.

When the call came in for donations of toiletries and cleaning products to help those affected by the tornado, I went to one of my favorite dollar stores, Dollar General (headquartered in Goodlettsville – right outside of Nashville), to grab what I could to help! I filled my basket with as much as I could and donated them to a collection site in North Nashville, Lee Chapel AME Church.

Nashville Tornado Relief

I was able to get back to Lee Chapel AME Church with several other ladies from the Junior League of Nashville that Friday to sort toiletries, blankets, etc. It was amazing to see so many Nashvillians, who at the drop a dime, came out asking “What can I do?”, “What do you need” and “show me where you need me to help!” #NashvilleStrong

The Nashville Food Project – I was already schedule to volunteer at the Nashville Food Project the Saturday following the tornado, but the need was a bit more urgent after the storm. My Hubby and a couple wonderful Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority sisters were there as well and we prepped for 1,000 additional meals (in addition to the meals for their regular meal recipients) to support tornado relief.

I don’t think I’ve ever cracked so many eggs in all my life lol! I’m sure that French Toast Casserole was delicious!

Nashville Food Project

I couldn’t restore the power to those without it like the NES crews did. Handling a chain-saw to cut down trees isn’t in my skill set either, but I did what I could to help those who needed it the most during such a trying time. Let us all remember that at any given time No act of kindness is ever too small.

19Feb2020

Dr. Carmen April: 2020 Nashville Business Journal Woman Of Influence

Posted in Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation, Success by Dr. Carmen April

Dr. Carmen April: 2020 Nashville Business

Journal Woman Of Influence

Dr Carmen April Nashville Business Journal Women of Influence 2020

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I’m honored to be among the 2020 Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence Award recipients. I’ve attended the recognition luncheon as a guest the past couple of years and am humbled to be one of those being recognized this year 🙏🏽

https://bit.ly/37jS3MU

❐ Updated, full-length feature from the Nashville Business Journal 8/14/2020: https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2020/08/13/women-of-influence.html

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“The Nashville Business Journal is pleased to introduce you to 35 Nashville women making a difference.

From holding leadership roles at top companies to starting their own successful businesses to having a positive impact on the community, these are the female leaders making tomorrow’s history today.”

Nashville Business Journal 2020 Women of Influence

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