A friend posed this question to me and I responded that I might buy a boat, although not sure I would want the hassle, or buy a new house that had a yard for my dogs but, no, I wouldn’t change much.  Money is just not what motivates me most or drives my choices.  I’d even keep working – maybe fewer hours – but I wouldn’t stop being an Endo, the profession I love.  

What about you?  Is your life just about right or, give or take a backyard, if you were able, would you really shake things up?

Here is something to ponder.  Even if you don’t win the lottery, you can still shake things up.  All it takes is believing in unlimited possibilities and your ability to choose what belongs in your life. In trusting your instincts. In looking beyond the confines of your current thinking.  To make the leap and welcome change.

I remember a friend telling me when the lightbulb went off for her and it changed her life.  She was talking with a neighbor, telling her she wanted to leave her boring corporate job but was afraid of the unknown, had a solid salary yada yada yada.  The neighbor looked at her and said, “Just hold your nose and jump.”  The fact is that those words were timed just right – it gave her permission to take the plunge. She quit. She created a new career and hasn’t looked back since.

Not so easy you say. Here’s my suggestion

Make a list of everything that is not working in your life and practice.  Things that annoy you. Things that are in the way of seamless, stress-free days. Things you worry about. Then choose the smallest gripe – maybe that the windows in your waiting room are dirty.  You know the answer – have your office assistant call a window cleaner. Small changes make larger changes easier.  It’s a habit.

You do not have to settle for the status quo – whether a window or an employee who is always late or a schedule that is a 3-ring circus or an office location that is too far from home.  With a little courage, anything is possible.

THIS IS YOUR PRACTICE. YOU MAKE THE RULES. YOU DECIDE THE WAY YOU WANT YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME TO FEEL.

So, here’s my idea and something I’m doing myself.

Write a letter to yourself as though it’s the end of 2023. Include anything you like but do consider these questions.  Has the status quo remained the status quo or did you step out, reexamine, hold your nose and jump?  What sort of changes did you make?  What new possibilities did you explore?  What things have you left undone?  What concerns haven’t been addressed? Are you more excited to go to work? Are you less stressed and more content? In writing this letter, we are likely to learn a lot about ourselves.