2020. It’s finally here. Since my last post here, it’s safe to assume that I have been busy. Writing has never crossed my mind as a thing I like to do, but I realize that I love it more when I’m inspired and have had the time to reflect on everything that I’ve seen or done. What did I learn from it? I had a booming 2018/2019 in the dental hygiene world, traveling, doing speaking engagements, writing clinical articles, and doing a podcast interview with an innovative, entrepreneurial colleague. It took a pause for the second half of 2019. I had these ideas, I drafted intro paragraphs, and it never went anywhere because I kept asking myself, “What am I trying to say?”, “What am I trying to do?”, and “Is this my purpose in professional growth, tell my peers and colleagues what to do?” It didn’t sound like a good representation of who I want to be. I didn’t want to keep writing to stay relevant amongst my peers, colleagues, and social media followers. I want to follow through and really believe in everything that I was writing.
This past fall I made the decision to start another chapter in my life but in familiar territory. Yes, I am back in New Jersey. I made the best of the DMV for the last 8 years. It has given me a career start, a lot of great friends, communities that felt like home, variety in city life, and the most serendipitous moment of my life. I needed a scenery change that will remind me of who I really am and inspire me to keep getting to my goal. I have this goal of wanting to do something for myself personally and professionally — start my own business. I won’t say exactly yet, but the ones closest to me know. It has been one of those ideas that I had to take several pauses on because I kept asking myself that question, “What am I trying to say?” If I wanted to start this said business, then I want to do it with intention.
With setting goals, there must be an action plan to get to the goal. My first action plan, take a break from clinical hygiene. Yes, I know, “You’re quitting dental hygiene?” Not entirely. I am very much still in dental, but I’ve shifted my focus on marketing and education to find what will work when creating this said business. So yes, I no longer have a set schedule filled with patients, it’s just down to one Saturday a month when I’m back in the DMV for family. With this new chapter, I find that I will have flexibility, creative control, professional support, and hopefully find more ways to reduce stress so I can stay engaged in reaching my goal. Speaking engagements, travel, and clinical articles are still on the rise for 2020. Stay tuned.
TRULY RDH 