Why Your Opinion DOES Matter

"Be informed and have an opinion!" - The Late (Great) Ari Bluman.

This memory of an exchange I had with the former execute of my old job downloaded heavily onto spirit this morning.

We were next door at O’Reilly’s, affectionately referred to by us regulars as simply, “O’s”. We had sort of a love/hate relationship with ye old Irish pub, but it was our little home-away-from-home.

Ari was the type of guy who lit a fire under your ass. I used to hear stories of how he would walk around the office with a baseball bat, perhaps as some type of intimidation ritual. He had a booming voice, a love for high end brown liquor, and the New York Yankees.

Some days I’d hear his wrath from the other side of the office and doors slamming. I observed a lot of people squirm in his presence. Some, not all. I mean, I definitely sat a little taller in my chair when he walked by. And you bet I knew which emails of mine would land in his inbox (of about a bajillion). I checked them about 6 times for errors so as not look like the screw up on the account management team!

But to be honest, I was never afraid of him. For whatever reason, all I could see was a big ol’ teddy bear who demanded superior excellence. Maybe it’s because he would come by my desk and say, “she’s looking at porn!”, smile and walk away. Just to raise my BP a bit? Or the times when he’d walk by singing his classic jams. And he had a decent voice! Or maybe it was the time I wished him a shana tova and he beamed with joy and surprise. I don’t know, but I was drawn to him… but from a safe enough distance.

I would take opportunities to catch him outside of the office, to be in his presence. I was young and hungry, and a little insecure. He was like a sort of “Godfather” character. Large and in charge. I felt like I never really knew what to say around him. I never felt smart enough — but I often felt this way at this job. That place forced me to become more of a researcher and investigator. I was surrounded by brain power and I really had to get my ish together to keep up.

He could sense that.

“You gotta know what’s happening. You need to be informed. And beyond that, you need to have an OPINION about it.”

I can still remember the emphasis he made on the "p" in opinion. It was full body. These words have stuck with me. Especially now.

There are obvious places where it's easy to form an opinion based on information that one has access to. I'll give you an example: the upcoming elections in the USA. With the wealth of data, polling, and news coverage available, it's relatively straightforward to develop a well-informed opinion on the candidates and issues.

But the less obvious places are actually in my coaching practice.

As a health coach working with women in midlife, I'm privy to a wealth of information about the unique challenges we face - from hormonal changes to chronic disease risk to mental health struggles. I'm constantly staying up-to-date on all my certifications, the latest research, best practices, and emerging trends.

Having an informed opinion goes beyond just being knowledgeable. It means taking a stance and being willing to advocate for what I believe is right.

For example, the recent Commonwealth Fund study found that the US healthcare system lags behind other high-income countries on key measures of access, equity, and outcomes. That is absuuuuurd! As a coach, I have a strong opinion on how this disparity affects my clients - particularly the women of color and low-income women I serve, who face even greater barriers to quality care.

I don't want to just regurgitate facts; especially ones people can just Google. I prefer to use that info to fuel my conviction that preventative, personalized approaches like health coaching are crucial for improving healthcare equity and outcomes, especially for midlife women. And I'm vocal about that opinion, because I know it can make a real difference.

I’m not over here trying to be the loudest voice in the room, but I am going to continue to commit to the well being of women; especially those in midlife because there is still so much to learn.

If you're ready to take a more active role in your healthcare and preventative wellness, I encourage you to book a health assessment with me.

Here’s my opinion: It's time to stop settling for a healthcare system that leaves us behind, for real. Let's use our informed opinions to demand better - for ourselves, and for all women in midlife.

Lastly, shoutout to Ari for the reminder today❤️🗣️.