Today, I turn 45. I’m so grateful that I’m happy and healthy to celebrate another year!

I pray I’m fortunate enough for this to be mid-life for me. That means I will get to see my kids grow and have families of their own. It means I will be able to celebrate 50+ years of marriage to my sweet husband.

I also pray I’m fortunate enough for this to be mid-career for me. I know, that might sound crazy but if I can work another 25 years in this industry, I’ll be a lucky lady.

It’s not always been this great and believe me, there are still days when I feel like I’m having a mid-career crisis. But what I know is that my career will NOT look exactly like it does today in 10, 15, 20 years. Heck, it probably won’t look the same in 5 years and I’m so cool with that.

In fact, that’s what makes it interesting. If I were doing the exact same thing in 10 years, I will tell you…I’d be bored!

Below, in this week’s short but sweet feature article, I share what helped me through a mid-career crisis…

So I’m wondering…. have you ever experienced a mid-career crisis??

If so, you’re not alone. We’ve had the privilege to work with thousands of dental professionals across the country and I have to tell you…it is RARE that I’ve ever met someone who is 10+ years into their dental career who hasn’t had some sort of mid-career crisis.

The truth is, it’s not all bad. There are some really good things that can come out of questioning what you’re doing and wondering if there’s more. Because there IS! There’s always room to grow, learn and evolve into the best version of YOU at that point in time.

The secret is in how you get to the other side of the crisis. Here’s what I’ve found to work when I’m in a funk:

• Never Stop Learning– This is the #1 trick that makes my career interesting and fun. This could mean joining AADOM if you’re a dental administrator or finally taking that laser course if you’re a dentist or hygienist.

• Change something- If you do what you’ve always done…it will get boring. You’ve got to do something new, mix it up. Implement a new service that will improve your patient care or up level your clinical skills with a hands-on CE course.

• Find a mentor-We can’t do it alone. Seek out someone that has a love for his or her career that you admire. It’s especially helpful if you are both in the same career. Let them help you find your passion for your path again and listen to how they stay engaged and excited!