Is there such thing as caring too much?

By Sharon Gorman, D.C.

The obvious answer might seem to be no but the answer that I always seem to forget to be true is yes. I am thinking here specifically about my practice. I want my practice to do well. I want to serve a lot of patients. I want my time to be full during office hours as well as my staff’s time. I want to be successful. I know the things I need to do to have this happen. Or do I? Is it always appropriate for everything to work out the way that I think it should. When do we stop pushing our way through life and when do we turn it over and trust? And when should we not? These are questions that I wrestle with all of the time.

So I woke up this morning and I took a few minutes to thank God and pray. For me prayer is stopping to remember that God is in charge and I am not God. After I do that I usually take a few minutes and in my head play through the day. I see things turning out the way that I would have them turn out. On a Monday morning I usually commit to my practice. I usually make the decision again to try my best today. I think about the things that I really would rather not have to do and commit to dealing with them today. I commit to being brave and remembering that I am not alone. I am not only walking with God but I also walk with this tremendous support system that I have set up for myself in life. I walk with my husband, my kids, my associates, my staff and my community of friends. I remind myself that I am not alone. I remind myself to lighten up and invite humor into my life. I especially remember not to take myself too seriously. Then I have to remember to let go and let God and put my feet on the floor one foot at a time and keep doing the next right thing.

The letting go for me is the tough thing. It is one thing to care about the outcomes in my life and another to try to Control them. That is not an excuse to not try my best in my life yet when I remember all of this then I become right sized again.

Sitting here I can think of literally 10 times when things turned out better than I thought they would even after life took a few bends in the road and I didn’t think things would work out at all. They turned out just the way they were supposed to work out. Doesn’t it always work out the way it is suppose to? Sometimes we certainly don’t think it turned out very well but that is too bad. It is what it is. Some of the hardest things that I have been through have taught me the most valuable lessons. Those tough days forced me to call to my higher self. Sometimes I had to learn tough lessons by being in so much pain by practicing my old behaviors that I finally gave in and made changes in myself. I thought that if I tried real hard in life then I would never have to deal with these tough days. God is not going to stop teaching me lessons and preparing me to serve because I try hard in my life. That would hardly be a reward for my good behavior. Yet, that is what I yearn for. I would actually get very bored with my life if it became that predictable. I don’t know why I still go into these lessons kicking and screaming. I guess it is human nature. It sure isn’t an excuse to stop caring about the outcomes in my life. I just need to keep life in perspective. There is a God and I am not it.

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Focus Philosophy Night
May 13, 2006- 7:00pm
Optional dinner at 5:30pm
FEATURING: Cheryl Langley, D.C. & Ginger Grancagnolo, Ed.D.

Howard Johnson Hotel – Route 611 Bartonsville, PA (exit 302 off I-80)
(570) 424-6100 for Reservations (ask for Focus Rate)
Contact Sharon Gorman at (570) 350-4091 for more info. or e-mail [email protected]
COST: Suggested fee is the price of one office visit.
We will be passing the hat to cover expenses.
Please bring your staff, patients are welcome too!