The Weekly Evolution
Your weekly dose of realness and inspo in vet med

I spent the last few weeks living out of my camper van. It was epic, serene and beautiful. There were slow sunrise coffee dates, wildlife encounters that felt kismet, and the kind of peace you can only find when life slows down. Somewhere between the mountains of Wyoming and the stillness of Utah, I realized something I’d forgotten: happiness is simple.

Not easy. Not effortless. But simple.

And that got me thinking… Why does joy feel so far away in vet med?

Happiness is Simple

As vets, we’re trained to solve complex problems, but research keeps reminding us: joy lives in the pause, not the push.
Here are a few science-backed truths that changed how I think about happiness:

Small moments matter more than big milestones
A 2021 study in The Journal of Positive Psychology found that simple sensory moments, like savoring your morning coffee or noticing nature, have a stronger and longer-lasting impact on happiness than major life events. These “micro-moments” rewire your brain for calm and contentment.

Slowing down isn’t lazy, it’s neurological.
When we pause, we shift from the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) system into the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) system. That’s where creativity, empathy, and healing live, both for our patients and ourselves.

Gratitude and awe literally change your brain.
Research from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center shows that regularly practicing gratitude increases dopamine and serotonin, the same neurotransmitters targeted by antidepressants. Translation? Wonder is medicine.

The more I sat in stillness, the more I realized: happiness doesn’t come from adding more, it comes from subtracting what doesn’t matter.

I wrote about this revelation: What Van Life Taught Me About Veterinary Medicine and how to bring that sense of peace into your daily life, even on shift.

👉Read the full post: Happiness Is Simple: What Van Life Taught Me About Veterinary Medicine →

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, this one’s for you. It’s your reminder that joy isn’t a finish line, it’s a frequency. You can tune back in anytime you choose.

Podcast Highlight

There's still time to check out last week's Evolved Vets podcast with Dr. Walker.

 🎙️Ep. 20: Inside Independent Ownership with Dr. Mike Walker 

🎧You can also listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts