Tag compromise

Living Alone Is Underrated

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Woman sitting on the couch

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Having a space to yourself isn’t just a luxury—it can become a necessity for mental well-being, peace, and autonomy. When you share a living space with someone who doesn’t contribute, the weight of responsibility falls on you, turning your home into a place of frustration rather than rest. This became glaringly apparent with my most recent roommate situation, when I put up with this person’s complete refusal to participate in household cleaning, household repairs, or the purchase of paper and cleaning products which we both used.

I spent 3 years harboring frustration over having to deal with areas my roommate had sullied and selfishly left for me to clean, making me feel like a live-in housekeeper. Then I had surgery in January of this year, and was unable to come home for two weeks. When I returned home, I noticed that my roommate had taken the liberty of rearranging my dining room table, and had also completely taken over my side of the refrigerator. Although I promptly put the furniture pieces back to their original orientation and put my food back on my side of the fridge, I was perturbed. What I didn’t know was that she was planning to give notice that she was moving out. I guess she figured that since she would be leaving, she could encroach upon my fridge space and move my furniture around. That was the last straw for me, so I was actually relieved when she gave her 30 days’ notice.

At a certain point, the financial strain of living alone is worth the trade-off for personal freedom. You get to set your own rules, maintain the level of cleanliness that keeps you comfortable, and decorate in a way that truly feels like home. You don’t have to tiptoe around someone else’s bad habits or pick up their slack. There’s no awkward conversations, no unspoken resentment—just the quiet relief of knowing everything is exactly how you left it.

Peace of mind is priceless. Sure, budgeting might be tighter, but waking up in a space that is yours—where you don’t have to compromise on cleanliness, noise levels, or household responsibilities—makes all the difference. Sometimes, the real cost of a cheap living situation is your own sanity.

Uncompromised

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

Breaking stereotypes!

Breaking stereotypes!

I am always being challenged to pick one career that defines me, and it drives me nuts. When people find out that I am a medical doctor, they struggle with the stereotype of what they expect doctors to be like, in other words, very conservative in dress and demeanor, and without any flavor or personality. Well, I’ve got news for you. I will NEVER be a typical doctor. And please don’t doubt my credentials or schooling. I am NOT a nurse (not that there is anything wrong with this highly respected profession), I am a fully licensed and board certified physician.

A huge project came my way recently, and I was selected for it, only to have the decision-maker flip out over my fitness and modeling images and reverse the decision. I was stunned and dejected, but after reflecting on the whole incident, I began to get angry. Part of the problem was that the decision-maker was a complete hypocrite, pretending to be squeaky clean, but who openly praised one of the dirtiest human beings to ever alight on the entertainment scene. To coin an analogy, at the root of this was a case of the bride being upstaged by another lady wearing white. Mind you, I never intentionally wore white, but hey, my doctor’s coat is white.

I am every bit as much about fitness as I am about medicine, and I shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. I am damned proud of what I have accomplished in fitness, especially because I took things to the next level in my forties, not when I was a young whipper-snapper. If people are confused by the sampler plate philosophy by which I live, too bad. Yes, I am a board certified physician AND a degreed fitness professional, IFBB Pro, certified nutrition coach, writer, sponsored athlete and contest prep coach. I know it’s unusual, but why is that so hard for people to grasp? I mean, here I am, doing all of that, sending a message to the world that no one should have to be one-dimensional and boring.
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I don’t hide from myself. I am honest. I have sass, and I speak my mind. I am proud of what I have achieved in my life, and I will NOT hide parts of myself which some overly judgmental people may have a problem with. I am NOT going to apologize for having a sense of humor, for using cuss words here and there (though I don’t use them while seeing patients). I am not going to paint a false picture of who I am. If you don’t like what I am doing, no worries. Move on.

If you find that you are compromising your own vision, dreams, or goals, perhaps you need to re-examine why you are allowing that to occur. If you subscribe to the no limits philosophy, then you would never even consider pulling the reins back. I will always encourage driven people to go for whatever they want, and if it doesn’t fit in with the conventions of one of their chosen careers or hobbies, even better. Break stereotypes and show people what you are made of! Don’t hide all the facets which make you who you are!