So why every Thursday, I wake up at 8, fix the last egg and brown the end of the butt end of a loaf of toast… and is that grammatically correct even??? Prolly not.
Sit down on my computer and bang on the keys for a good two hours. Sometimes I utilize an outline, other days I go off the cuff and spell out what’s spewing off the top of my mind. After 2 or 3 re-reads and re-writes, most times this takes at minimum 45 minutes… but have spent more than several hours on certain articles requiring research for a spec of insight.
So why do I write these?
I do it because it’s a test for myself, a test of my will and a testament of my evolving self. And here you thought these were all written just for you!!! Silly wrabbit. It certainly is directed for you, towards you, and the conversation I hear inside my own head is between specifically you and I. But at the end, it’s a much more selfish reason behind it.
It’s backwards, but it’s true. We share experiences, thoughts and ideas because maybe they’re helpful. Maybe they are moving. But just maybe it’s whatever has happened in your life is super duper cool. I remember seeing an implant up in my patient’s sinus on a pano one day… swear to god, my first thought was I need to share this with someone right away. And yes, the patient got it removed with the oral surgeon I shared the pano with.
So I share with you thoughts from my own head because it certainly gives me a cathartic sensation of possibly shedding light on an aspect of our field that maybe we’re not talking about.
Showing up each week, getting these words on a page are important to me. It channels a creative side that loves to practice and see my writing evolve.
Sometimes I try new word choices, sometimes I try new writing styles, and sometimes I just try to write the way I speak. I notice at times when I feel more serious. The overall tone of the ‘Thrive’ read is serious and on key that day. Other times, it becomes the beloved goofball that I think I am.
Realizing what we do for ourselves, when we participate, when we show up for ourselves, there is a renewed sense of purpose, day in day out, week in week out.
It’s hard sometimes sitting on your dental rump, developing your dental hump looking 4 inches deep in some strangers dark dirty mouth to feel a purpose. Maybe peering inside dirty mouth’s is specifically your soul purpose, it certainly isn’t mine.
But the noticeable difference when I truly began to enjoy both dentistry and writing was when I realized whether I was ELECTING or FORCING myself to participate.
Quick, have a stranger hold a gun to your head and demanded you give the best damn prep you’ve ever done on #29. Not many people like being forced into something they don’t want to do. Gun to the head, probably a stressful situation isn’t allowing you to prep at your best. No, rather, when you elect to, want to, and feel at ease and in comfort, that’s when your best shows up.
We all came in this calling of dentistry with different reasons and different backgrounds. Why not come every day electing to feel a sense of purpose, self-worth and kick assyness.
Lam
If you really enjoy these weekly pep talks, I’m sure another fellow dentite would love to as well. Consider forwarding this to another classmate or individual who might find a nugget or two from these. Thanks for being an awesome reader!