New year new beginnings

Ah! We are already one month into a new year. Resolutions have been set into place with the promise of better things to come. However, how many of those resolutions actually are fulfilled? Have you already eaten that candy bar you swore off because you were going to start dieting again?

If we have not reached the age of retirement and social security, then employment is still an essential part of our every day existence. Are you still bemoaning going to work every day because you need the income? Are you facing work burnout? Perhaps it is time to make a resolution that will bring excitement and joy back into your life, a resolution that will bring life-altering changes for growth and happiness.

Financial security is one of the major reasons some choose to become a dental hygienist. Money for materialistic gain does not fulfill an individual’s purpose in life, nor is it a means to get passionate about what you do for a living. Money alone does not make you eager to get up and go to work every day.

Do you consider hygiene a job where you work and, at the end of two weeks, bring home a paycheck? Have you chosen dental hygiene as your professional career choice? Do you go home from work feeling physically and mentally exhausted? Are you no longer flexible with your time or willing to go the extra mile for the team? You know there are personal rewards that come along with working as a hygienist, but these personal rewards are hidden in the everyday stresses of life.

Sounds like you may need a change. It may not be an employment change; it may just be a rejuvenated personal mind-set, or attitude adjustment.

Change at any level can generate opportunities you never considered before, but it takes courage and requires self-discipline, patience, and perseverance.

Determine what your vision for your future will be and set a path to begin your journey to discover opportunities within your personal and profession life. Imagine what can happen when you seize the moment. Setting your vision for your life into reality will allow you to become a better human being, because you will feel good about yourself and have a healthier attitude in your interaction with others. This will translate to improved service that you provide to your patients, as well as a happier working environment.

Visions energize your creative side. Celebrate the positive and do not allow yourself to be neutralized by negativity. Visualize what can be and develop those visions to create your new attitude in order to achieve your future goals. Believe in your vision and define the elements that will bring them into perspective. Daily stress can blind your vision, so change your perspective creating a broader picture of the whole situation and your vision will blossom into reality. When you change your life perspective your can change you.

Do not settle to be ordinary. Find ways to be extraordinary. Take risks and explore creative ways that will set you apart from everyone else. Break the patterns of life that are not working for you. Seek to reinvent yourself. Expand your horizons to avoid work burnout and unhappiness. Do not take the little things in life for granted, they may be your greatest rewards.

Susan Clark, RDHEF, is the author of a book titled, Exploring Dental Hygiene: Finding the Hidden Rewards.” Visit her Web site by clicking here.