Remember those quizzes from Seventeen magazine? Seventeen (magazine) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) While my values and morals were taking shape during my teenage years, these quizzes helped guide me to make important life decisions. When my high school crush started dating my best friend, I still wondered: Is He More Than Just a Friend? (I needed to be sure he didn’t like me.) When word got out that my friend’s parents were out of town for the weekend, I needed to be prepared and know: What’s Your Party Personality? (Just took this, and I happen to be the Perfect Party Personality!!!!) ...
At first glance, reading the history of how tumultuous my relationship was with dentistry, it might appear that I am placing all of the blame on bad jobs, mean bosses, or difficult patients. But those are just details. The fact is that I am responsible for how this all ended up. I had a choice. (more…)
One or two of you might be wondering where I’ve been the past few weeks. I had a chance to do what I love doing most. Visit new cities… Prague Celebrate love and life with old friends… Lusi and Andrew’s Wedding And splurge on yummy foods I probably shouldn’t eat… Verona, Italy I’ll have more on that later, but first, I have some unfinished business here. You’re probably dying to know about this coming out business, right? (more…)
Finally! I could see the light at the end of my career tunnel! The depressed feelings dissolved, and a fresh hope blanketed over me. I was very lucky to rely on the stability of the dental practice while I started building the new weight loss practice. Keeping my old job while starting a new one was the combination that worked for me. I never would have felt comfortable quitting my job without having something else lined up. I’m not that adventurous. Luckily, I didn’t have to jump off the cliff into an unknown abyss. (Photo credit: ccheviron) (more…)
Several months ago, one of my blogging buddies asked me to write a guest post for her blog, Practice Shifts. Since I love her blog so much, I immediately said yes. Then guess what I proceeded to do? Absolutely nothing! Yep, that’s right. I can be a huge procrastinator, especially when under pressure to deliver. I was frozen, but after a little prodding from her, and a little brainstorming, I finally pulled the trigger. So pop on over to her blog and read my post, will ya? And while you’re there, check her stuff out too. She sure does have...
Changing my approach and attitude about the new career search took the edge off. There was less pressure to get myself somewhere. Under pressure. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Then the opportunity I was looking for fell into my lap. I just didn’t know it yet. I’ll admit, sometimes I’m a little slow. Here’s what happened: One day my husband had received a call from an old chiropractor friend of his who he knew well and trusted a lot. He wanted to introduce Nick to a weight loss program he had successfully been using for himself and for his patients throughout the...
In my search for change, the Paradise Hunter contest was THE turning point for me. When it ended, I felt different, empowered to keep working to move forward. Having this blog helped me get through the tough days (which was everyday by this point in my career) because I had something else to focus on. I wasn’t defined by being a dentist. Blogging provided the missing link for me to feel whole through all of this. It not only gave me the creative outlet I was craving, but it also gave me a voice. I had shut that voice down...
Alright, I’ll come clean. I’ve never actually had a root canal, and like many, I hope I never have to. Whether you want one or not, most of the time you feel better after it’s done. It can actually help you. Most leave feeling much less pain and much more relief than when they went in. And that has always been the outcome for me in my therapy sessions. Photo credit: Wikipedia Am I the only weirdo out there that loves therapy? (more…)
Is it obvious enough that the career choices I was exploring couldn’t be any more different from being a dentist? I mean, cookies and beer are a far cry from drilling and filling. My knee-jerk reaction stemmed from the need to get as far away as possible from anything related to my current job. I wanted something lighthearted and not too serious; something that had nothing to do with providing a service to people having my face 6 inches away from another person’s for 8 hours a day. (more…)
For many years travel was a way to escape myself and a life I hated. Some years I found a way to take a week-long vacation every 3 months. It was brilliant. I always had something to look forward to. Even sitting in front of the computer for hours daydreaming and researching for a trip was enough to give me the escape I longed for. It was the one thing that kept me going. But as excited as I always was to go away, I was equally as depressed at the end of a trip. The knowledge that I...
