We all know the pressure to stay the course once we have made a huge commitment to something.

Changing is hard work, and it’s inconvenient and uncomfortable.  Plus, the unknown makes it scary.  It is always easier to do nothing, and sometimes that little extra bit of inspiration is all we need to get us going.  Over the years, I have had a few guest bloggers that shared their own stories of change on Lolabees.  People loved reading about others’ experiences.  Some of the remarks were:

It is very refreshing to hear that you have done something else with your life that makes you happy!!

And,

It’s been so inspirational reading this blog and people’s comments, we are not alone in this world after all!

And,

You guys are an inspiration! I’m a young dentist (3 years out of dental school) and working in the UK. Have been unhappy in the profession since I started really (for all the same reasons as everyone here). I find myself wishing every day that I’d done something else at university…problem is I don’t know if I left the profession what else I could do now! I think that’s one of many reasons why I might never be as brave as you to actually make the decision to leave, that and the financial uncertainty/family disapproval that would surely follow. Still, thank you for showing me that it is possible!

I would bet that the majority of us who have made changes felt that same way at one time.

Starting today I’m rolling out a new blog series on Lolabees called Celebrating New Beginnings.

Each week we will feature a different dentist who has overcome challenges in his or her career to create their better path forward.  There are more and more people who have taken a leap to change what isn’t working, and we can all celebrate and learn from each other.  Whether it’s staying in dentistry and changing what isn’t working, or whether it’s leaving dentistry completely, know that we don’t have to settle.  While we are all unique, so are our individual journeys.  What works for one person may not work for another.  What we all share in common, though, is the power and the capacity to change.  I hope we continue to inspire each other as we continue to connect.  If you have a story you’d like to share, contact me, and we will celebrate you too.

As a kick off to this new blog series, I’m bringing back a blog post from November of 2013.  Be sure to click through to the original post, so you can join in the discussion there.  With 60 comments on that post, you’ll find a dynamic and interesting discussion.

Life After Dentistry: Yes… It is as Good as it Seems

I could not be more excited about today’s guest blog post!  I recently met a fellow dentist-turned-blogger who is now living the dream.  He shared some thoughts and encouragement on The Pros and Cons of Dentistry, and I was so intrigued by his story, that I had to have him write his own post.  So I welcome Rick, my guest blogger, who has given me another reason to smile today.  Check out his story about how he left dentistry and where it took him.  I know you’ll find it inspiring!

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I was very pleased to happen upon Lolabees’s website a few weeks ago.  The topic of this blog is something very personal to me, as I know it is to any other dentist who reads it.  Indeed, I had sort of forgotten just how personal it was until I started scrolling through her pages and reading her articles, as well as the readers’ comments.  All the unpleasant memories—and the physical symptoms that accompany them—came rushing back.  Like many of you, I continued to practice long after I had realized that it wasn’t for me and the resultant effects touched every aspect of my life.  Click here to read Rick’s story…