Editor’s Note
By Kristen Wilson, PT, DPT
Six months in on writing editor’s letters centered around colors has finally taken its toll.
I’m sitting lakeside in an Adirondack chair staring at the hills of the New York Finger Lakes and having some serious writer’s block. While many of the past issues’ notes have flown off my fingertips, today I’m having a hard time finding a jumping off point for the color blue. There’re so many avenues I could take. Do I highlight the significance of blue in history, do I use a double entendre approach, or do I talk about feelings or the weather? I find I’m at a loss and it’s left me feeling quite — frustrated. You thought I was going to say blue, didn’t you?
Do you ever have these moments? Times when you feel like no matter how you try you can’t muster the creative energy needed to do what you need to do? I’m sure all of us have these days in private practice where we oscillate from bringing creative energy and excitement only to be followed by a feeling of drain or dread. The factors that lead to the ups and downs of ownership and management are varied, but I think it’s fair to say that all leaders experience some form of inconsistency that feels uncontrollable. How can we better fortify ourselves to prevent the waxing and waning, and instead, exemplify a consistent guiding light for both ourselves and our teams? Perhaps leaning into our desire for continued learning is the answer.
When feeling frustrated or stagnant one of my favorite things to do is seek alternative opinions, and this month’s issue of Impact has exactly that. Broaching some rather tenuous topics, the Blue issue highlights everything from “10 Marketing Ideas to Show Off your Blue-Ribbon Practice” by Hope Clauhs to managing team allegations (“Out of the Clear Blue Sky: Managing Unexpected Staff Accusations” by Carrie Cunningham). I particularly enjoyed Joanna Woo and Jacqlyn Zarabba’s piece titled “Beyond Blue: Depression in Leaders” which highlights the effort-reward model and how it affects leadership. I find that when I read these alternative perspectives my brain finds its way out of a stagnant funk and rebounds to its usual vivacious state. I highly recommend this month’s issue to rejuvenate your neurons if you’re feeling a little under stimulated.
The Impact board would love to hear your thoughts on this year’s color theme, what pieces have resonated with you, and what takeaways you’ve experienced as a result of reading Impact. Please reach out to editor@ppsimpact.org to share your thoughts! In the meantime, we’ll continue sourcing top notch articles from dedicated and passionate authors to keep your brain infused with the vigor needed to run a private practice successfully.
