Dr. Don Deems, the Dentist's Coach - Free Newsletter: What's Under Your Rug?

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What's Under Your Rug?
March 11, 2005

We've all done it: swept away things we keep putting up with, situations we've not resolved, relationships we've suffered with, half-truths we tell ourselves.

In our professional practices, we've not addressed issues that need our leadership and attention, ignored areas we've needed to improve upon, not admitted to our staff and patients we really didn't know the answer.

In reality, it's all about cleaning out the garbage we've been sweeping under our rugs - emotionally speaking, that is.

It goes without saying that dredging up the past is painful - but it's a good thing that it is. I sometimes meet people who say, "I had the perfect childhood, my life's perfect, my practice is perfect, my relationship with my spouse is perfect, I pretty much have no problems. I don't need any change. Things are fine the way they are."

Saying, 'life's great and I have nothing to change,' is buying into an illusion. There is a whole world out there waiting for us, waiting for us to fulfill our biggest dreams, to feel real fulfillment. How is it that we can experience fulfillment, peace, and true happiness?

Unfortunately, the answer is through struggle and breaking down the illusions put in place by our rational minds. If we don't get fulfillment through effort, if we don't go through struggle, it's not real fulfillment. How could you otherwise know true fulfillment?

So, when anxiety grips our guts, when fear tears a hole in our chest, when doubt stops us dead in our tracks, we need to remember that this is an opportunity.

The question is what do we do with it?

Here's the hard part: Jump in and swim. It's the only way.

Previous article: When you hear the sound of the cannons, walk toward them.
Next article: Days too busy? Not enough time?

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