Do You Really Need to Separate Work and Life? 3 Prompts to Help Bring “You” Into Your Work

Hi. Hello. It’s Denzil here,

Long before I had this job, I had a habit: find something random, get obsessed, and then learn everything I could about it. And it started in the library.

Picture this: little five-year-old Denzil walking around in the library. I’d wander until something unexpected grabbed me… tigers, the Titanic, ancient tombs…anything! And then I’d take home all the books I could find, and do a deep dive.

And honestly, I still do the same thing (except now, it’s kinda my job).

That memory came rushing back while I was talking to Destin Jones on an episode of Radio Front Desk. For those who don't know, Destin is my beloved coworker who runs the community and events team at Jane. In our chat, she was reflecting on what really sparked her interest in community, and shared how her early work with a nonprofit (one that directly connected to her grandmother’s illness) was actually the reason she’s doing what she does now.

Destin really took something she felt drawn to in her personal life and made a career out of it.

And this made me realize that the idea of keeping your personal and your work life separate might not be the best move. Actually, infusing your personal story into your work might even be your biggest differentiator.

Because I think it’s important to remember: what comes naturally to us might not come naturally to everyone else. We tend to underestimate our strengths… especially when they feel easy. And so we assume our "thing" isn’t that special. But that’s the whole point: your “thing” might be what gives you an edge.

So what would happen if you leaned into that?

For me, that means letting that curious little 5-year-old take over and say yes to work that stretches me. Projects that seem too hard at first, like building a content team from scratch, or launching a magazine without a career in print 😅. I didn’t know how to specifically bring these things to life when I started. But I just can’t help but feel drawn to the challenge.

And if you’re building something…especially a clinic…I wonder what might change if you followed that thread (You know, the one that’s been quietly present in the background of your life… that doesn’t look flashy but has always felt like you).

So maybe this is your nudge:

• Think about what you’ve always been drawn to, even as a kid. How can you pull that into your work?

• Notice the things you do easily (they might be the very things someone else struggles with).

• And don’t be afraid to build your business around those differentiators… even if it’s out of the norm. People are going to see the “you” shining through, and people are drawn to those things. 😉

So no, your personal story doesn’t have to stay separate from your professional path. In fact, it might be the most powerful part of it.

The little library kid whose curiosity started it all

Okay, now this is what I’ve been teeing all this up for. I’m genuinely so interested to know.…

If you trace the work you're doing now (the really important, meaningful work!!) back to one place, what was it? What was the spark that lit the fire? Do you have a story to share? I’d love to hear it (I’m still that 5-year-old kid who loves to hear stories!).

Really looking forward to reading these. ♥️

Until next time,

Denzil, Editor-in-Chief of Front Desk

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Every other Friday, Denzil sends a letter built from real conversations with practitioners, clinic owners, and other leaders shaping care. If you’d like to read along, you can get the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing here.