Taking the Plunge!
Jan 03, 2017Healing is Risky!
Yep, that’s me!
I waded through the cool water to the edge of the waterfall, the strong current rushing around my ankles and calves as I peered over the edge. One of our guides held me by the strap of my life jacket and my red helmet was secured around my head. I was about to slide down my first waterfall in the Dominican Republic. Well, actually, my first waterfall ever!
How did I get here? Why on earth did I let my family talk me into this? These were the thoughts rushing through my mind as I was getting ready to make the jump. But it was way too late to turn back . Behind me was a narrow slot canyon and ahead of me was that 30 foot waterfall! Plus my sons were watching and I didn’t want them to think their mom was a wuss… so… I sat down, held my nose as the guide let go of my life jacket and I took the plunge!
Often when we are about to make a big healing change, there is a fair amount of fear and anxiety involved. Because, after all, you are taking a risk! Fear of being vulnerable. Fear of the unknown. Fear of making the wrong decision. Fear of failure…. The list goes on and on. Even something simple like changing one’s diet for most people feels like a huge transition and not actually so simple. Working with someone new can feel like a huge undertaking. And for people who tend to “doctor hop” the challenge and the new thing is to stay the course and listen to their practitioner’s advice.
This past year I have undergone a lot of transformation in my worklife. I successfully taught my first University level classes while maintaining my practice. I have been writing more, ran my first webinars and am slowly working on my book. And in a month I will be joining a new clinic! I last worked in a large group setting in 1999. I enjoyed working in a group setting back then, but it all came to an abrupt and unexpected end when the main MD suddenly moved out of the clinic because he was, unbeknownst to us, actually bankrupt! After that experience I decided to work in situations where I had total control and so was a solo practitioner for many years.
Last fall an awesome opportunity presented itself to me, and so I am taking the plunge and moving out of my one office comfort zone into an Integrative Sleep Clinic! This process for me is exciting and a little scary! After all, I have been a one doc show for so long now, but my real wish was always to be part of an awesome collaborative team and I just knew intuitively that this was the right situation and it was time to take the plunge!
Jumping into those 7 waterfalls was symbolic of my own personal transformation. Each time I jumped I had to trust that nothing bad would happen to my body. That I would not injure myself or even die! And each time I hit the water and rose again to the surface to take my first breath I realized that I had made it! I did not die! I am still alive!
I suppose being born is a bit like this, though I have no conscious memory. Leaving the safety of the mother’s womb or the cocoon, to breathe on your own, to strange lights and strange sounds and learning to be embodied.
So yes, this past year has felt a bit like a gestation with a lot of work growing new cells in preparation for even more growth in 2017! So Happy New Years Everyone!
If you would like to work one on one with me to help with your gut health, inflammatory, autoimmune issues, or if you have worked with me in the past but it has been a while since we connected, you can schedule an appointment online here or by calling my office at (303) 443-2206 M-F 8:30-5 Mountain Time to speak with my receptionist. I also offer a FREE 15 minute phone consult so that we can both see if we are a good fit for each other. Be well and I hope to hear from you soon!
