I’ve often used the analogy that my career in dentistry was like being in a relationship. At times you could say it was slightly abusive, and at times it was very supportive and loving. Whether those descriptions are a bit dramatic or not, one thing is true: we had a very strong bond. Dentistry was a huge part of me and it was hard to let go, even if I really wanted out. As I journey through this career change, that relationship analogy journeys on with me. I was married to dentistry. You could say it was my first long-term...
What is the Slight Edge anyway? You don’t have to be cool like The Fonz to have it. It’s not some magical ability to bump a jukebox with your fist and get the right song to play. And you don’t have to have the “it factor” that Angelina Jolie has. It’s not having thousands of people in awe of every move you make. And you certainly don’t even have to possess that special charm Ryan Gosling has with the ladies. Really, it’s not about the 6-pack abs (though they are quite nice.) While these guys all might have the slight...
In the past year, I’ve heard from many readers that share my sentiments about practicing dentistry and wanting to change. There was one element that I hadn’t really thought about sharing until someone brought it to my attention. A while back, I received an email from a man whose wife followed my blog because she, too, was unhappy in dentistry. He mentioned that as the spouse, he occasionally stopped in to read it looking for some insight and advice. There’s a fine balance of how you can lend support but maintain certain boundaries, and be firm yet gentle about what you...
Changing my career was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. You might be surprised to hear that leaving Dentistry was much harder than getting into it. The process of entering the field took work and determination, but it went with the flow. It was what I was supposed to do. I felt proud and hopeful. However, leaving it was rebellious, and I was going against the flow. I felt ashamed and afraid. Because of the fear and the challenges involved, I made many excuses that I thought were valid. And dammit, they were important! But those...
In case you were still wondering… I didn’t win the Biggest Baddest Bucket List Competition. If I had, you would have heard about it right away, over and over. In fact, you’d probably be sick of me by now. While I’ve summarized my journey into and out of dentistry on this blog, I realize I haven’t shared much of how life has been “post-retirement.” It’s no secret that I believe it was the best decision I could have made for myself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but it was right. I am finally content, and...
For years I ignored the fact that I was unhappy practicing dentistry. A few times in my decade of practice, I seriously considered getting out. But each time, I convinced myself to stay. My biggest excuse was the economy. As luck would have it, right when I concluded I wanted to change, things started to tank. People were out of jobs, and I told myself I should have felt lucky to at least have one. While that excuse was very real, it was just that– an excuse. I don’t regret it because it forced me to stay in the career...
As dentistry and I started to spend all of our time together, I was forced to face our compatibility issues. As the relationship grew, more red flags appeared. The days of leaving work at work were growing more sparse. The daily stresses were following me home and keeping me up at night. I was suddenly investing as much time in worrying about my work as I invested in studying when I was in school. Payday became the best day of the month, as it was my way of consoling myself over the realization that maybe I wasn’t in love. It...
