A Year…and a Choice.

So, I’ve slept for at least seven hours a night during our Holiday break and maybe in 2022 I won’t wait until December to try it again. But I still wake up worrying about stuff but lately, the fretting time has drastically decreased. And I guess even though I’ve been a dentist since Disco, it’s never too late to learn recovery time does make a difference.

Of course, the real test will arrive on January 4, 2022, when Year-46 of Temple City Dental Care active duty begins for reals. And I don’t know about you guys but, for me, 2021 was one of the most emotionally trying AND uplifting roller coasters since my Year Whatever in dental school.

In a dental school year, sure, you might get called out as an “ungrateful, undeserving little maggot” right in front of a patient a few times by some anti-social instructor who’d later see part one of “Full Metal Jacket” way too many times. But I’d still sleep soundly knowing that I’d undoubtedly learned something, and the big picture/bottom line plan was an escape after 4-years. And being a Sicilian half-breed, I couldn’t help but think maybe I’d have an opportunity to get even one day.

And there was once a Trojan Drill Instructor who mistakenly believed “romancing the condyle” meant cramming it through the back of a dental chair. One day, for all my classmates to hear, the DI in question loudly described my occlusion and clinical giftedness as “a train wreck.”

On a beautiful SoCal afternoon, about a decade post-dental school, a new patient arrived with a bag of restorations in hand and a request for teeth numbers 3-14 to be restored in gold without local anesthesia. The crown bags were all labeled with the names of most of my restorative dentistry heroes (including even my mentor, the great John Kois) and curiously, one misguided USC Drill Instructor from The OC. I declined my opportunity to live out a Temple City Dental Care remake of The Marathon Man. Instead, I referred the Golden One to You-Know-Who…and slept like a baby for a few days. Revenge is kind of a short-term thing

But for me, the past year was way more of a challenge than dental school. And it hasn’t been business only; too often, it’s also been personal. And getting even with a deadly virus amounts to holding your breath, keeping your mouth shut, wearing a mask, and taking your medicine…and protecting your family, if you can hold onto them.

And being even a fraction Sicilian is all about love of Famiglia. I love my remaining blood family, but it’s a far cry from my kid days when I saw them all every Sunday. Over the last decade or so, my co-workers have become my adopted family. And during early 2021, the family became a house divided, several adoptees remain only as smiling faces on a happier Google history page. And I wish I could accept “business, not personal,” but I’m not there yet. My best medicine, so far, has been choosing gratitude.

I’ve learned expressing gratitude is a choice. And it isn’t every day someone walks into the office for an interview and sticks around for almost another 20-years. And most likely, y’all have noticed pandemics can impact who we’re being when we’re blindsided by events beyond our control. And nearly 20-years of gratitude remains a big deal.

So why not look and listen for inspiration? In a crisis, while there are those who break your heart; there are also those who rise to the occasion and inspire. We’ve met seven new team members who’ve brought energy, focus, and appreciation in 2021-not a bad way to greet 2022? Our team includes four moms with children no older than 2-years (talk about inspiring?) And these days with these peeps, every morning huddle begins with a quote, a story, sharing information, acknowledgement, and individual affirmations. The context is humor.

And there are friends who walk into your office for an interview and who’ve been part of your extended family for years. And maybe your similarities have led to some clashes once in a while during working together for over a decade. But there’s never been any quit. And there’s always been the desire to grow and learn…and take chances during a personal journey. And just when times were the darkest, Denise the detective, uncovered a string of inherited errors and saved the practice thousands of dollars. Denise the leader also groomed a highly effective new administrative team; she also continued developing her own Next Level to Success coaching business while becoming a speaker and webinar contributor for My Social Practice and the American Dental Association. Easy to choose Gratitude.

There’s also a special person who walked in the door 20-years ago and somehow agreed to a call-back visit after basically being snubbed by me (while being “too busy”) without even having a face-to-face hello. Dani and I once shared an interview with a prospective practice advisor, during which I pledged retirement if Dani ever left the practice. Our Team Leader now has a beautiful 2-year-old daughter; she works half the week remotely handling payroll, ordering supplies, and scheduling when not being the former Crown Council Dental Assistant of the Year on site. Along with sister Denise, Dani has also led our community efforts throughout 2021, a commitment that began 20-years ago. Dani works 24-7 being a leader and a voice of reason, trust, and humility. If I could adopt a daughter, she’d be Dani. Easy to choose Gratitude

As 2021 closes, the lesson learned goes way back to my buying the One Minute Manager and being intentional about always looking for people doing things right and praising them for the effort (in front of their peers.)

And just as the quote from a sign in the window of an Oregon small town café reads, “The world is under-staffed, be kind to those that showed up,” I’m beyond grateful for our new team and their positive energy. Breakdowns really can be the opportunity for breakthroughs.

I’m also beyond grateful for Dani and Denise; they were challenged, and their response was the stuff that causes others to be touched, moved, and inspired.

I choose gratitude.