My daughter, Megan, recently shared her word for the year: Patience.

It got me thinking. What should mine be? At first, I kept coming back to the word “steady”. That’s who I’ve always tried to be. Steady in my work. Steady in my routines. Steady for my patients, my family, and the people around me. For over 30 years as a Family Physician, steady wasn’t just a word…it was part of my identity. You show up. You do the work. You stay consistent. People count on that.

But this year feels different. Retirement now. A different pace. A different schedule. Different responsibilities. Even different ways of being active. And I realized something as I kept going back and forth between “steady” and another word that kept surfacing…Adapt.

At first, it felt like I had to choose between the two. Stay steady…and learn to adapt. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe it’s not one or the other. Maybe it’s both! Steady is who I am. Adapt is what I’m learning to do. I don’t need to relearn how to be steady. That part of me was built over years…in early mornings, long clinic days, difficult conversations, and showing up when people needed me most. That doesn’t go away because the job title does. But adapting? That’s new. Adapting to retirement. Adapting to a slower pace. Adapting to not being “the doctor” in the same way anymore. Adapting to new rhythms at home and with family. Adapting physically…even in how I exercise. For years, running was my outlet. Right now, the running has been slow. I am now learning Tai Chi. That’s not something I ever pictured myself doing. But it’s what I have been doing every day for the last 5 weeks. I am able to do it. I can slow down…which is the key in Tai Chi. And maybe that’s the point. Adaption isn’t about becoming someone different. It’s about learning how to live well in a different season.

Deep down, I will always be a runner. And, if I’m honest, part of me still wants things to feel the way they used to. There’s comfort in that. But life doesn’t work that way. It keeps moving. It keeps changing. And at some point, we have to decide whether we’re going to resist that…or grow into it. I’m choosing, or at least trying, to grow into it. Not perfectly. But intentionally.

So, if I had to choose a word for the year, it would be: ADAPT! But not at the expense of who I’ve always been. But because I believe this: You can remain steady in your values, your faith, and your character…while adapting to whatever life is asking of you next. And maybe that’s what this season is really about. Not starting over…but continuing forward: Steady…and learning to adapt! Eventually, I will post pictures of me doing Tai Chi…once I get more coordinated with it! But, I keep moving. And you should too! Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day of Newest Streak: # 774