Part 1

I’ve listened to 4 dental practice owners cry in the last 4 weeks – 2 female, 2 male.

All they had in common was that they owned a dental practice that wasn’t performing to expectations (one of them wasn’t a dentist but an owner).

Crying tears of frustration, exhaustion and fear.

My job will be to guide them towards the light and out of the darkness in which they currently suffer.

I’m not a priest or a prophet, I’m not a sage or a guru.

I’m simply someone who has experienced the darkness, survived (because we can) and inherited the legacy to pay forward what I’ve learned along the way.

Part 2

I was asked last night “how are you?” by an old friend with whom I haven’t spoken for some time.

Rather than the usual “fine” I gave some thought to the answer.

In 23 years working in dentistry, I’ve never been happier at work, at home and at play.

“How come?”

Because my life is simpler than it has been for the last 20 years.

Which reminded me of the one of the best bits of advice I ever had, from my friend and personal coach Michael Myerscough.

The first part of the advice was to regularly ask myself a question:

“Is what I’m about to do going to increase or decrease the level of confusion and complexity in my life?”

The second part of the advice was to walk away when the answer was “yes”.

I haven’t always followed the advice, preferring to confuse and complicate my life in the pursuit of money, glory, entertainment or some other “high”.

My real search for simplicity began in September 2013, on my 60th birthday and it has taken almost 3 years to get there – but I’m pretty much there now.

Life is simple.

Life is good.

Simple is good.