For a number of months now the media has inundated us with various White House "scandals," and yet with all the hoopla most people don't seem to be getting too worked up.
On this subject we are basically complacent. If you are a Democrat, you might feel a little embarrassed or protective of the president. If you are a Republican, you may feel this will give the GOP presidential candidate a better chance to win in 2000.
But most people yawn and turn to more immediate concerns: work; family; the weather; the upcoming weekend; how the local sports team is doing, etc. We react this way because most of us don't think the outcomes of these scandals will impact our lives to any great degree. If they did, we'd take more of an interest. It's simple: the more impact on our lives, the more it matters to us.
There is something that does affect your life: your practice.
And while you may be operating much like you did when you first started out, the practice environment has greatly changed.
Just what ARE you doing in your practice? Most likely, you find that your income has dropped and you may be wondering if chiropractic is something you want to continue doing. The paperwork has gotten ridiculous, the fees have dropped to almost nothing and the hassle factor has moved off the scale.
OK, all this is true. But you didn't answer the question:
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR PRACTICE?
No, I'm not yelling, I'm just emphatic.
Every aspect of your life has a common denominator: your practice; marriage; family; house; garden; and body. Everything in your life requires a willingness to learn, grow and become more than it is now.
The jaded will tell you that everything "gets old." The chiropractic practice has become routine; the romance has left the marriage; the household projects have grown tiresome; and the body that was at its best at 18 has been going downhill ever since.
Those that spread the gloom and doom message have never learned the secret of RENEWAL.
Renewal is the spark that keeps life from being mundane. It is the membership at the health club; the new rose bushes in the garden; two weeks with your spouse on a tropical island; and the positive, pro-active changes at the office.
Renewal is about recommitment.
We all get tired of the routine. We all allow ourselves to slip into complacency.
Then one day, we wake up and discover that the challenges seem too great for us. In reality, the challenges grew so slowly that we didn't notice them until they got too big to handle.
If you feel overwhelmed, then it is time for renewal.
It is time to renew your love and commitment to the things you cherish. This may include renewing your relationship with God; your spouse; your family; yourself; your home; and particularly your practice.
My father used to talk about "falling in love with chiropractic all over again." He would remember why he became a DC and all the memorable events in his life that confirmed his choice.
It's time to put the love and commitment back into chiropractic. It's time to take a hard look at what you're not doing that could help you be more successful.
Difficult times come for two reasons: to remind us to appreciate the good times, and to motivate us to try harder and do better.
Donald M. Petersen Jr.,BS,HCD(hc),FICC(h)
Editor/Publisher of Dynamic Chiropractic
Don-MPAmedia.com
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