I didn’t even realize that a year had crept up on me until I started getting messages of congratulations on LinkedIn. I guess it’s a testament to how time flies when you’re having fun! I wrote a post before leaving Amberwood to try to help everyone understand that I wasn’t going anywhere, but I would be around in a different capacity for a while. If you’re interested in reading my thoughts from a year and a half ago, feel free to read this post.
I wanted to force myself to take a moment and reflect on the past year; what things have I learned, what have I loved, what might be improved, what I want the next year to look like. I learned a couple things:
- I’ve always wanted an office dog and now I have the best of both worlds because even though I don’t have an office dog, I have several “office pets!” Every time I visit patients at their home, I get to enjoy the company of their pets. I have cats, dogs, and even birds that are now a part of my work day! I love it!
- I love being my own boss. I’ve never really been one to conform, so the freedom to follow my passion in whatever direction it is taking me at any point in time is priceless. If I want to offer something new to my patients, I do! If I want to hold an impromptu class on something that people seem really interested in, I do! If I want to go to seminars on plant biology, I do! It’s that simple.
- I miss seeing the staff and my patients. While I’ve received messages, texts, emails, etc from tons of old patients, it’s not the same as seeing them regularly. Sometimes I miss those familiar faces. I miss jamming out in the back office to music with Tam, I miss Michelle bringing in healthy treats for staff meetings, and I miss Marla always being there to keep me organized. I have no doubt that I will be part of a team at some point again. For now, my team is bigger than ever, but there’s not a core group I see daily. I miss that.
- I hate taxes. Do I need to elaborate? I didn’t think so.
- This is exactly what I should be doing right now. There’s no doubt about it. I think it’s important to allow yourself the freedom to change, to evolve, to expand interests, skills, and passions. I am lucky enough to have freedom within my current situation to teach, see patients, adjust for other chiros, read research, write a book, attend amazing conferences, develop new recipes, AND have time to play, exercise, sleep, and travel. I have been touched by so many patients and students within this first year, that I can go to bed at night feeling like although I don’t know what the future holds, I was right where I was supposed to be for the moment.
My passion is more on fire than ever before, and that is a direct result of this past year. I can’t wait to experience the next year with each of you. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for each of my patients, my family, my friends, all my followers, and the little voice inside me telling me to take the leap of faith. Not everyone feels so connected to their career choice. I am truly blessed and forever grateful for the road that has led me here. If you are still searching for your purpose in life, be present, look for signs, notice the things that light your soul on fire. Do those things more. You don’t need to see where the road goes in order to take the trip. You’ll know when it’s time to take a turn. That’s the beauty in life. Get comfortable with the unknown and turn that fear into excitement to learn what may be over that hill.
We should all cheers with a new cocktail recipe. Stay tuned for a drink recipe that may be your new summer fave!