Dr. Brenda Paulen and the team of Proudsmiles in Sandy Springs welcomes our new partner in patient wellness, Ellen Sichel. Author and founder of Custom Calm, LLC, Ellen helps clients to find personalized solutions for managing daily stress and chronic pain. We are proud to have her on our team, working with us and our patients to improve our quality of life each day!
My Mouth is for More Than My Foot! Who Knew??
This week I am veering a bit from my regular stress solutions posts to let you know about the expansion of my work. I realized that I must practice what I teach and do what is needed to stay in balance. There is a stress solutions moral to this story, so keep reading!
The Background
In my wildest dreams did I ever think I would find oral health interesting. I have always had the attitude, Oh %*!x$, I have to go to the dentist! I remember the piercing sound of the drill and smell of the dental office from my childhood, and even now though the aesthetics of dental offices have improved I still have the that feeling of dread deep in the pit of my stomach. If I wasn’t so neurotic about teeth cleaning, I would probably not have gone with consistency. Then there is the cost- Oy, even when I had dental insurance the coverage was minimal. I could think of a million things I would rather spend my money on!
So, you might be thinking why I am writing about dentistry? Well, many of you know what a people person I am and how I have wanted to not only speak and design health and wellness programs but to be involved with another company as well. It gets too lonely being a solo entrepreneur.
The Story
I was having lunch with a colleague, Dr. Brenda Paulen, who I have known for decades. We were chatting about how we could support one another and I mentioned that I was looking for a part- time job acting as an ambassador, connector for a small company. She went silent for a moment and then said- Ellen, we have been advertising for exactly what you are looking to do right now. We chatted about this as a possibility and what really sealed the deal for me was- No Admin! My previous opportunity turned out to be my worst nightmare- mostly administrative. For me, that is torture!
Now, I get to do what I love, do what I am really good at with people I enjoy being with, and still do my Custom Calm speaking and business wellness programs. How cool is that???
The Moral
This got me thinking- why do we try to do things that are not natural for us? I know the basics of working with line tools, but that is where it stops. I love connecting, speaking, and helping others-that is my superpower. Stress and frustration comes when I sell out- doing a job that goes against who I am. I see too many people hating what they do without any other balance in life.
Life is way too short, so make sure somehow you do what makes your heart sing, even if you have a job you don’t love.
So there you have it. Check out Dr. Paulen’s Proud Smiles site. I never knew that oral health was pivotal to overall health and that illnesses are detected by looking in the mouth, not to mention chronic headaches. I have a new respect for the role an advanced trained dentist as an integral part of a health care team. I also love the cosmetic side too- you deserve a smile you are happy with!
It is clear to me that Dr. Paulen’s superpower is: Being a rock star proactive, total-health centered dentist who loves what she does.
Think about it- what is your superpower?
Hope to see you all soon!
Warm regards,
Ellen
About Ellen
Here’s a juicy fact about me. I am a recovering control freak, Type A+++ personality. Ask anyone who knew me and they will heartily agree. That leaves me wondering how I ended up teaching stress and pain management solutions. Crazy, huh? I was a business woman, an overachiever sales person and if you would have told me that I would be passionate about helping people deal with stress, pain, and illness, I would have taken you to your local psyche ward!
So what happened? Life happened.
For more information and to visit Ellen’s website, click here.