Fasting and Feasting this Holiday

BY DR. MARK MURPHY, DDS, FAGD

Soon the holidays will be upon us — the speed at which the season's whirl pass is blinding. Our profession is stressful, exacting, challenging, and very demanding. You get the idea. Try to take time this season to stop, smell the roses, and give thanks. Not just on Thanksgiving, but throughout the holidays. Our profession blesses us with so many reasons to be grateful. Maybe writing in a journal would help us admit and celebrate the good things about dentistry and look past the imperfections. We don’t have to find BIG things to demonstrate our gratitude; they can be small, yet powerful. Helping someone chew again. Restoring a smile. A child that didn’t feel the pinch of the needle. You get the idea. There is a smile for every story and gratitude for all involved. See if you can Feast on things that matter more and Fast from things you do not enjoy. Embrace optimism and shun indifference.

As the New Year approaches fitness, weight loss, and other healthy resolutions come to mind. This year we are focusing outward on our growth and actualization. We hope to be more grateful for the things we have and share our excesses. “When we have more than we need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence.” The meditation below helps us pause and reflect on how many ways we can enjoy gratitude, work on self-improvement, and improve the lives of those around us in the New Year. Post this in the staff lounge and talk about it at team meetings. Journal more. Fast and Feast. You will have a GREAT 2020!

Mark T. Murphy, DDS, FAGD