In my last post, a Lolabees Friend shared a wonderfully thoughtful comment that got me thinking about a lot of things. One thing in particular stood out. At the close, he said: All I can say at this moment — 4 weeks after taking a break from dentistry — is that just now I am beginning to feel like I can take a breath and relax. Really live. Pursue some interests I truly have a passion for. And for the first time in a long time, say “I really don’t care.” His experience is not surprising at all. What strikes […]
New to the Lolabees blog?
Start here!
There’s an interesting cultural phenomenon that happens in dentistry, and I wonder if it happens in other fields. There is an unspoken rule that we all have to love our jobs and have to constantly show the rest of the world how happy and successful we are. It’s a lot of pressure, especially when some of it feels like a lie. Many dentists spend their whole lives hiding the real struggles we experience. Sure, we can bitch and make jokes with our colleagues about some of our annoying challenges, but we can’t be real about just how much we may […]
If you’re looking for more inspiration to create what you want out of your career, here is a fantastic article about women who have changed careers after age 30. Okay, I may be a little biased because I’m one of those women featured in this article, but check it out for yourself! I’m honored to share a moment with an organization that celebrates and champions women. Want to know a little more about SWAAY? Here is an excerpt from their online magazine: SWAAY is a ground-breaking digital publication that harnesses the style and glamour of today’s business-minded woman. At SWAAY […]
Woody Allen once said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” I guess God was laughing at me last weekend because my big plan didn’t work out. I’m very lucky that I live in a place where I can hop in the car and arrive at some of the most beautiful spots on earth within an hour. Last weekend we had a plan to wake up early and drive to a beautiful hike in the Rocky Mountains. When we arrived at our destination, we quickly learned that the only remaining parking was a good 2 […]
When I tell you what I’m about to tell you, you’re either going to think I’m really freaking cool, or you’re going to lose some respect for me. So I was listening to Howard Stern the other day… That’s right, it’s not just Ted Talks. I listen to Howard on my walks with Nolabees, too. The other day he interviewed Kevin Hart, and something Kevin said struck me. I will admit that what stood out to me in the interview probably isn’t what stood out to most listeners. Howard opened up the conversation describing how Kevin’s massive success is amazing […]
Have you ever thought that maybe you didn’t want to help people for a living? Seriously, tell the truth. If you have had that thought, you know you’d never tell anyone, and in fact it’s pretty tough to even admit to yourself. I felt that way for a long time. There, I said it. In a recent conversation with a client, he shared with me the ideal qualities of his dream job. Although he doesn’t yet know what the job is, he made a great list of what is important to him. As he was rattling off his list, he […]
Do you ever feel unhappy, bored, uninspired, and annoyed by work? Do you ever look down into your patient’s mouth during an exam and think, “Ugh, if I have to look at another tooth, I don’t know what I’ll do.” I used to have that exact thought at times. The more I felt stuck in my career, the louder that thought became in my head. It’s not fun at all. Feeling like you have no options is really stifling. You know what’s keeping us stuck? We won’t get out of our heads. For many years I went round and round. […]
Don’t you love the kind of straight talk that slaps you in the face to get your attention? No sugar-coating, no beating around the bush– just in-your-face, brutal honesty? Okay, not always, but sometimes that is just what we need to inspire us into action. I’m a pretty sensitive person, but when the raw truth is delivered with humor and the right intentions, tough love can certainly set me straight. In another of my favorite podcasts titled, Why You’ll Fail to Have a Great Career, Economy Professor, Larry Smith does just that. Why we will all fail sounds like an […]
I’m shocked to announce that Nola has run out of wisdom to teach me. I know it’s surprising. I never thought a butt-sniffing, poo-eating creature as amazingly clever as she is, could ever run out of wisdom, but Nola is out of ideas. Luckily our walks together have led me to another source of wisdom… the podcast. After walking in silence every day for months, I’ll admit I kind of got tired of hearing my own thoughts over and over. I got bored with myself, so I decided to multi-task and learn something new during that hour. Of course I […]
How do you feel about change? Do you love it, or do you fear it? I love change! You know why? Because without it, I’d still be that same person I was 6, 10, 15 years ago. I would still be stuck exactly where I was. Change is scary for all of us, but I can’t imagine my life without it. Over the past 5 years you’ve followed my career journey, and I’ve been so fortunate to follow yours. It’s hard to believe so much time has passed since we started sharing our stories in November of 2011, the month […]