Pearls of Wisdom - Pure & Powerful. Dr. Liz Anderson Peacock
degrees. Because of my advanced degree, I was exempt from a number of the early courses in the curriculum.
Entering into Chiropractic school was a whirlwind beginning with the completion of my Masters Degree, dealing with the critical comments about leaving, and dealing with family wondering what I would do with yet another degree and asking when ‘enough was enough;’ all this strife for just trusting a feeling. It was almost like listening to the whispers in the wind. Not having a logical reason or seeing the full picture and vision, I still trusted. Many would say my pursuit was stubbornness, and with my strong personality that would have been a fair comment.
The act of trusting and pursuing enabled me to quickly connect with sincerely vital and unique characters. Several were classmates from many parts of the country. Steven Silk, Greg Woolfrey, and Margaret were three individuals that were more vital and free spirited than one could imagine! These three impacted my entire first year, and were instrumental in showing me success comes in many forms and ways. One such ‘full of life’ instructor, Dr. Keith Innes, was involved in our anatomy lab. He challenged many of us to search outside of the traditional schooling for success Principles and growth. He created opportunities for many students at CMCC to train in Gonstead and Motion Palpation at his clinic, and learn skills and expand our horizons.
Dr. Keith also created an opportunity for me to work at his clinic during the summer, and again part-time throughout my Chiropractic training. The skill sets I learned in billing, report writing, front desk client management, and many other clinical procedures are all attributed to working within a really vital and active clinic.
Along my path in Chiropractic college I was able to search for and follow greatness. Being exempt from some basic science classes gave me extra time other students did not have. I used my extra time well, following around senior interns in clinic, visiting successful Chiropractors, and learning from truly wonderful and successful role models. Success and greatness leave clues!
My path in education taught me learning comes in many forms. I learned more outside the traditional classroom. To this day I continue to consider this critical. Our schools are entrusted to educate students formally, and ensure the passing of board exams. With the regulating boards accrediting institutions requiring a certain number of credits for specific course curriculum, there is just not enough hours in the day to teach all the success Principles and key points for creating successful practices and lives. A lot of this responsibility is on the shoulders of graduates. It behooves each of us in the profession to find better ways to support and balance learning both inside the system and outside the system.
The Vital Act Of Becoming A Mother
Now obviously I didn’t have enough on my plate. During school I began living with my husband and life partner, David Boynton. Part way through my third year of school and during Dave’s first year of practice we became pregnant. I think this time in my life taught me more about vitality and the capacity of each of us than any other time, juggling clinic, X-ray Rotations, and pregnancy. CMCC had traditional academic years, and internship between third and fourth year during the summer. I realized that summer as an intern was my opportunity to ‘practice’ and treat Clinic like a real practice. My due date was at the beginning of the fourth year, and I set my goals to be finished with my clinic requirements even before I delivered. This way I could focus on the new baby and classes, without the pressures of clinic requirements.
Of course there are plans, and then there is real life! Yes, I finished clinic requirements. However, then it was time to keep client/patient care going, deliver a baby, and be back at classes and X-ray Rotations within ten days of having the baby. Throughout this blur was the magical experience of having a child, and making vitalistic choices of natural child birth, choosing not to vaccinate based on my microbiology education, and watching and learning the power of the adjustment.
My son Rob became the first child that many in my class checked and adjusted. Thanks to so many in my class, who juggled Rob in the intern’s room and hallways, I was able to finish requirements and expectations. Rob was also such a natural lesson to so many of us of the power of the adjustment, and its significance in smoothly moving a child through the early months of life.
My last year of Chiropractic school was also a whirlwind. Within this year I had a baby, finished classes, got married, wrote board exams, and was ready to launch into the real world of practice. What the heck did that mean? I hadn’t even had a chance to catch my breath, let alone decide what I wanted to do. The one guiding Principle was that on some level I realized I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Now the good news is that the one thing I did know was for Dave and I we could either have a practice together, or a marriage. Both would not mix! We are simply very different and distinct personalities. Many people we know, and I have since coached, can manage the collaboration of both roles. Luckily Dave and I knew and honored that this was not the case for us.
By ‘coincidence’ a favorable circumstance presented for me to cover a practice many miles away from where Dave was practicing. An amazing Chiropractor with a long and established practice and legacy had broken his wrist. The position was there for me to cover his practice for 4-6 weeks. Dave stepped-in and created the opportunity for me to leave and cover this practice, and gain incredible experience on the adjusting front. This opportunity enhanced my skills and most importantly my confidence.
Practice Reveals Life Lessons
During my time as a cover Doctor, two Chiropractic friends approached me with an invitation to join their growing and thriving practice. They were looking for an associate. Why not? Without another plan of where I wanted to live or what type of practice I wanted to establish, this was an opportunity with great people. Of course the driving distance and crazy hours never entered my thoughts.
I started in the most non-traditional format. Practicing hours that in hindsight are not ideal for building any type of practice. Yet I didn’t know at the time. As I mentioned, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I just knew I was destined for success, and that I loved this thing called Chiropractic. With vital energy as my fire I set out to accomplish what I knew at a core level.
Fortunate for me, within my first few months of practice the Doctors I practiced with, Steve and Annette, took me to a life-altering seminar. I spent a weekend with Dr. John Demartini and a group of highly successful Doctors and human beings. I look back now, and even then on some level realized it was a life changing experience for me. The seminar offered tangible knowledge and experience to a level of knowingness about Universal Principles and life at a deep and core level.
Dr. John, with his messages and knowledge, became my strongest mentor. The coaching and success Principles I was guided to with his mentorship launched my success to establish congruent and consistent actions to create a phenomenal practice.
Anyone that has heard me speak from stage knows I talk a lot about my blunders and challenges along the way. They are a part of life and a part of practice. I have probably done and said more things wrong than you could ever imagine. The distinction is that I was constantly in action. I was setting goals and targets, and appropriate action steps to create those goals. I was incredibly disciplined. Discipline determines your destiny!
Vital can be defined simply as being full of life, full of spirit. My connection to the vitalistic Principles of Chiropractic, as well as my passion for life and sharing the Chiropractic message blended to create a magnetic energy within my practice and life. I was succeeding in spite of myself.
Dr. John also taught me to think globally. Instead of just focusing on my practice, I thought how I could serve my community, the Chiropractic profession in my country, as well as Chiropractic worldwide. I hung an enormous poster of the World in my office, covering the entire wall, and began sticking pins in place of where people came from to be adjusted in my office. Obviously it started with a small number of pins. Yet, is it any ‘coincidence’ that suddenly people visiting family from Russia, Yugoslavia, and many other places in the world were suddenly on my clinic doorstep?
During this early stage of my career I stepped up and became involved in the political association for Chiropractors in my local area. The Universal Principles were also teaching me