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“Awake” Bumps in the Road

Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR

Like many of you, I took to the road for a summer trip to see family…all the way from Wisconsin down to Texas. Yes, it was a long two days each way, but we made the time pass faster by listening again to the last book in the Harry Potter series in anticipation of The Deathly Hallows Part II.

As I was taking my turn behind the wheel, I began to ponder those grated “bumps” along the shoulders of the road, you know, the ones that when your tires go across them they make that terrible loud grinding noise? The purpose of that noise, as many of you know, is to jar you from a sleepy fog in case that is why you are straying off the road. Although I’ve never had to be woken up with these bumps, they certainly do catch my attention when I happen to stray! I got to thinking, Wouldn’t it be great if life had those bumps too?

When would you hit those bumps, in what circumstances do you wish that life would help you remember to get back on track? Is it when you hit the snooze button six times on your alarm, barely making it to work on time? Is it when your daughter or son look up at you and say, “I wish you’d go back to work. You’re no fun.” Is it when your spouse or partner rolls their eyes when you begin to gripe about some client, or patient, or boss, or coworker that you encountered that day at work?

What bumps do you need along the shoulders of life? And what message do you need to ring in your ears. It’s time to slow down and do something for yourself for a change? It’s time to schedule “quality time” with your kids? It’s time to schedule a “date night” with your spouse or partner? It’s time to truly take a day off, and do something fun for a change?

Or, are your bumps sounding the alarm at work? Is it time to sit down with your boss to discuss your future with the practice? Is it time to try to make amends with a coworker you’ve been on the outs with? Is it time to rethink your feelings towards one of the doctors, and try to find some redeemable qualities that will make your shifts easier to survive?

Personally and professionally, it may be time to consider where you want to be in a year, five years, 10 years from now. Do you have a plan to get yourself there? What needs to happen along the way, and how can you reduce it to manageable chunks so you can make it a reality? If the future is foggy, then perhaps it’s time to just stop and think about what you like to do, and how you can do more of it.

Is there something at work that you enjoy more than others, that you can focus on professionally? Is there something in your personal life—such as a hobby, instrument, pastime, collection, sport, etc.—that you can devote more time to? Have you always wanted to attend the opera, the theater, or even just a music concert now that you’re no longer a goofy teenager?
What are your “awake” bumps trying to awaken you to?

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“Awake” Bumps in the Road

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