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Today is the first day of a new life. It’s the life that I’ve been dreaming about. The vision of building a dental practice of my own seemed so far ahead, and not real or tangible for many years. Yesterday was my last day working full time at Enable Dental. I will continue working for them for the next few weeks but only on a part time basis. I expect even that will not last very long. 

What am I doing with all this free time before Aashvi Smiles Dental Group opens up September 21st?

Focusing on building the practice. There are many things that need to be done before the opening. 

1. Scheduling new patients, 
2. Cleaning up our digital presence. 
3. Finalizing internet service providers. 
4. Reaching out to few local businesses and dental/medical specialists in the area, 
5. Raising awareness about the new practice in the community, 
6. This is all on top of all my usual errands- budgeting, accounting, living haha.

I was finding very little time with which to focus on the new practice after work. After work my time is occupied by my children. After the kids go to bed around 8-8:30, I go for my workout and by the time I’m done with my workout it is usually close to 10 pm! What substantial goals can one tackle at that late hour? 

And so I’ve been systematically training myself to wake up earlier. My alarm goes off at 4.45 but today I rolled out of bed at 5 thanks to the baby who also woke up very hungry. I am writing this blog at 6 AM which is still good. So in a way I can thank the baby- for needing to be nursed! THANK YOU, BABY!

Here are my goals for the next 2 months before GAME DAY

1. Waking up early. This is not consistent, and it is a test of mental strength I’d say more than anything. Snoozing the first alarm can set a dangerous precedent. I’m really trying to just wake up at 5 AM no matter how tired I am. Why? 

Mornings are just my best time. I’m at my sharpest and feel peaceful enough to write. Writing is my oxygen, it helps me understand my thoughts. Also the house is quiet. If all goes well, the two little and one big kid are all sleeping so I can be left alone with my coffee and my thoughts. 

I still remember when I got back to writing a lot. It was in Seattle, I was newly married. I’d wake up at 5 AM and just write, and I’d love writing so much that I’d sometimes be a little late reaching work. Back then I also had a commute of an hour plus to reach Lakewood, WA. I did that commute for so long because of the non compete clause that I had at the time, who knew non-competes would get outlawed a few years later and that I’d move out of Washington state eventually, not needing the non compete!

2. Working out everyday 

I remember a time I’d make excuses about this or see my husband going for a run, and I’d instead busy myself with some menial busywork around the house. Not now. I have at least 10 pounds, I’d like to slide off this postpartum body! Besides, working out gives me a whole lot of energy and is great for optimism. I worry about injuries or not being able to be there for my kids if my body were to ever give out. And that’s why I want to protect and strengthen this temple as much as I can. 

I’ve also found that it has made my brain much sharper. After a workout session I always feel more pumped, clearer and happier. I have a lot of thoughts in my head during the workout, so sometimes I’m not able to fully tune out. This is something I am still working on. But I almost always end the workout with some ideas I am ready to implement that night or the next day- ideas about my business. Had I not worked out, I may not have had those ideas. 

I am looking forward to re-starting my weekly swims in the next two weeks. My plan is to wake up, write, drop aashi to school in the morning, swim, come back, and work on the business before picking her up again. That will be my routine for the next few weeks and I cannot wait to do that!

3. Eating out only one meal a week. 

This is something we still struggle to follow to the T but we try. Eating out more than once was creating a lot of lethargy for us, and leaving us feeling bloated. Eating at home and eating clean has helped tremendously with my own energy levels. Yes it is tiring and sometimes it feels like there isn’t enough time in the day to cook a fresh meal. However, it is not impossible!

Having a nanny helps a lot. She is able to prepare by cutting vegetables and marinating the meat if needed. And B usually makes a yummy salad when he gets home. I usually try to cook right after I come home so that I don’t have to do it at night. This is a huge juggle sometimes because of the kids. 

Every day is different and I’ve learned not to stress about it. I usually communicate with the nanny what to do in advance and sometimes she is able to cook on our behalf if the recipe is simple enough! Also giving the kids fresh food to eat is a major plus. Aashvi is a good eater, which has been a huge blessing. I also do know every child is different so I hate to jinx ourselves about our second! We are trying to follow the same pattern of baby led weaning with him too, so let us see how he does. 

4. Avoiding the 24/7 news cycle.

I used to listen to the all-in podcast and Reuters world news whenever they had updates. I’m a huge fan of current events and politics so I can easily get sucked into the news cycle if I get tempted. 

After our trip to Alaska, for a whole week I listened to only episodes from the Bob and Sue podcast that talks about national parks. That week-long break felt so good without consuming the news cycle that I’ve persisted so far. It’s been 3 weeks since we got back from Alaska and it’s working out great. I still find out what is happening in the world and keep up with basic things because of B but am no longer devoting my important commute time towards consuming the news. Instead I’ve tried focusing on certain tasks related to the business. For example one of the most important things I am focusing on right now is just building awareness about the new practice and scheduling patients. I took a course on marketing during my commute, which was very helpful. I learned so many things about social media and SEO that I wouldn’t have otherwise. 

5. Being with my kids and family.

Let’s face it, this time is never coming back. My kids are so small that every single day is filled with milestones of some kind. This week the baby started tapping his lips together as though he was saying ‘mamma’ but without the actual sound. It was so cute. He also started pseudo crawling a little before he turned 7 months old. Any day now, he will launch into a full crawl and we will have two toddlers in this house! Aashi now speaks in full sentences, with connector words such as ‘I think’ and ‘because’. One can have full conversations with her and be entertained for hours. She is very talkative. She also loves to sing, although slightly off tune, unlike her father! 

I am excited to spend the next couple of weeks getting to pick her up and drop her off at school so it gives us more time together in the car, listening to music and talking about our days. Just me and Aashi-time. I expect to be fully busy once the practice opens so I am going to savor this time with her as much as I can. 

To make an appointment at the new practice, Aashvi Smiles Dental Group in San Carlos, please go here. Our address is 555 El Camino Real, Suite #100, San Carlos, CA 94070. We offer same day fillings and crowns and offer implants, full mouth reconstruction as well as preventative care for all ages.