Monica Dubroja, Arthrex Medical Center’s new wellness coordinator, shares her story of how she began on a path to wellness and how she hopes to inspire Arthrex employees to do the same.
"I grew up in a small town in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, where I obtained a BA in Psychology. My aspirations were to become a psychologist, as helping people was always in my nature, but this was not the path I ended up taking...
I spent my childhood struggling with my weight, hating recreational activities and just barely passing physical education classes. University offered solitude, where Wellness and Physical Activity was a course and no participation required eased the pain of being overweight. The career world offered a new set of challenges, working with high-risk youth (stress) and shift work, a deadly combination, which in turn added to more weight gain.
One day, my world shifted, something needed to change, and the journey began. Almost 20 years ago, I made a decision and was determined to master my health and weight, and became a Certified Personal Trainer. Through dedication and hard work, many attempts and many failures, success was had, both personally and professionally. Managing my health and weight was accomplished through a combination of healthy eating habits and exercise, and it all made sense...I knew this was my passion!
My initial goal of helping people was still intact, and I knew that I had a responsibility to help others see their own potential and strive for wellness.
My career path from that moment on has been about health and wellness. Through the years, I've worked with individuals and companies, creating life solutions, programs and shifting wellness as a focal point. My mission has always been about providing innovative and effective programs that exceed expectations and enhance quality of life for all.
My goal is to continue my passion here at Arthrex by evolving wellness, creating excitement, and being a leader and role model to aid employees in their journey to health. Arthrex’s mission of “Helping surgeons treat their patients better” resonates deeply, since I believe as Arthrex employees, we can only accomplish this if we are taking care of our own individual health. It is so important to develop sustainable health behaviors that lead to good habits and routines. This is what ultimately leads to long-term health.
Swaying off the healthy path is a choice; it is a conscious decision to eat unhealthy and perhaps not exercise. It’s not an accident. This is a mental battle that we all face. The next time you feel like swaying completely off the path, take a minute to take a breath and ask yourself what is it going to accomplish? Think about how you may feel after that choice. Make an effort to weigh the decision and decide if it is worth it. The more times you win the battle mentally, the better your chances are of developing healthy habits and getting on your way to holistic health and a happy and healthy life."
Monica continues to obtain new certifications through her career path, and maintains a Certified Personal Trainer-AFPA Certification, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant-AFPA, and holds a Level 2 Diabetes Certificate-AADE and Weight Management Specialty Certification-ACE.