Being mindful of the company you keep

If there's ONE single thing I understand more and more and I contemplate my application to med school in middle age, it's that my goals and dreams are a gift, one that I must be very mindful of whom I share them with. Because when it comes to negative people who feel stuck in whatever career path they've chosen or are just plain negative people, it becomes obvious that they are more often than not, incapable of sharing in my happiness, to be in a position where I can pursue whatever goal I want as long as I'm also prepared for the sacrifices that come with that choice. Whew, that was a LONG sentence, LOL!!!  But it was also was my daughter's statement to me recently that I seem happier than she's ever seen me and far more career "settled" since I've significantly cut communications with EVERYONE who's ever had a negative word to say about my goals of becoming a Physician. And I mean EVERYONE including, VERY close relatives. 

Now I know I may be taking quite a few liberties with the following biblical quote:

2 Corinthians 6:17"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."

But the fact is that it applies to many things in life figuratively speaking, that negativity is an "unclean thing" that can derail even the best thought out and executed plans. So I've done what I needed to do and for the first time in YEARS, it feels that my plans are coming to fruition. In fact, I know for sure they are!

So on that note, I can say that I’m on track to be ABD or having all but my dissertation completed by the time I matriculate into med school and my regular readers over the years may recall that this was always my original plan. How I got off track has been pretty well documented on my blog, I’m just so thrilled to now have a focus and direction to be very excited about. And next year, when I start regularly travelling to meetings for SNMA (Student National Medical Association), AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association), and a yet to be determined 3rd organizational meeting, I’ll really start to feel like this is MY time, and 2016 will be MY year!