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Listen to the Full Episode:
Burnout, Side Gigs, and Permission to Play with Dr. Laura Brenner
“If I can do dentistry, I can do anything.”
Whew. Let that one sink in.
Because that belief? That was the turning point for Dr. Laura Brenner—a dentist who walked away from clinical practice and built a whole new career aligned with her spirit, her creativity, and her purpose.
In this powerful episode of University of Why, I sat down with my friend Dr. Laura Brenner to explore what it really looks like to feel out of alignment with your work, and how to begin the brave (and sometimes messy) journey of discovering what’s next.
We talk burnout. We talk side gigs. We talk fear, clarity, and creativity.
And we get real about what it takes to stop surviving and start living again.
Laura’s journey didn’t begin with burnout, it began with genuine love for dentistry. But over time, that love story changed…
When the Dream Starts to Crumble
Laura didn’t hate dentistry when she started. In fact, she loved it. She had good memories of her childhood dental visits and wanted to help people while creating a balanced life.
But by year three of practice, the disillusionment set in.
Where she expected fulfillment, she found exhaustion.
Where she expected confidence, she found dread.
She gave it time. She doubled down. She attended The Pankey Institute. She found a new job. She got mentors. And still?
“It wasn’t getting better.”
She felt like she was trying to convince herself to like her career. Journaling. CE courses. Therapy. Coaching. Everything felt like a Band-Aid on a deeper wound.
And one day, her husband hit her with a loving ultimatum: “You can’t live like this anymore.”
That conversation cracked something open. Laura realized she wasn’t just tired, she was burned out in a way that went far deeper than fatigue. Here’s what she learned to look for:
The Signs of Burnout You Shouldn’t Ignore
According to Laura, burnout isn’t just about being tired or irritable. It’s deeper.
Here are the three red flags that told her she was burning out for real:
- Compassion fatigue: You stop seeing patients as partners and start seeing them as burdens.
- Disillusionment: You lose faith in the work. It no longer feels meaningful.
- Loss of impact: You can’t see the difference you’re making, even though it should feel significant.
If you’ve ever done a flawless root canal and still had a patient come back in pain, you know how quickly you can go from proud to resentful. That mental shift is a warning sign.
But not all burnout is created equal. Laura discovered that understanding what kind of burnout you’re facing can help you choose the right next step.
Testing for Burnout: Do You Love It or Not?
Laura offers a brilliant framework for assessing what kind of burnout you’re experiencing:
- If you go on vacation and return feeling refreshed, your burnout is likely from overworking something you love.
- If you come back dreading your life again, your burnout might stem from doing something that doesn’t align with your purpose anymore.
This distinction changes everything. Because the solution to each type is completely different.
Permission to Play
The real shift for Laura came when she gave herself permission to explore.
She played. She dabbled. She said yes to weird ideas.
A gluten-free beer business? A travel blog? A one-minute comedy skit about dentistry for a video contest?
None of it was perfect. Some of it was messy. But all of it helped her reconnect to her creativity.
“Most of us think we’re not creative. That’s a lie.”
Her curiosity led her to try coaching, and eventually, she found her calling: helping other dentists rediscover their purpose and launch side gigs that reignite their spark.
And the beauty of experimentation? It doesn’t require you to make a huge leap. In fact, it might just start with a side gig.
Side Gigs: A Lifeline to Self-Discovery
You don’t have to burn it all down to make a change.
A side gig can be your lifeline.
It gives your brain something else to do.
It rebalances your nervous system.
It shows you that you’re more than your clinical identity.
And best of all? It doesn’t have to be permanent.
It just needs to be possible.
Case Study: Jenna the Artist-Dentist
One of Laura’s coaching clients, Jenna, felt stuck and disillusioned.
But she loved painting.
Together, they broke the process into tiny, manageable steps.
- Step 1: Google how paint-and-sip workshops work.
- Step 2: Text 10 friends and host a practice session.
- Step 3: Find a venue.
- Step 4: Offer a low-risk paid workshop.
No pressure. No giant investment. Just consistent, small actions.
Today? Jenna runs a thriving side business doing team-building paint events, baby showers, and dental office murals—while practicing only two days a week.
She found freedom without needing to have it all figured out first.
Jenna’s story proves what’s possible when we follow our curiosity, without needing a flawless plan. So if you’ve been wondering whether change is even an option, give this episode a listen!
This Episode Is for You If…
- You’re starting to feel resentful or numb at work
- You’ve been chasing CE hoping it will finally make things better
- You’re ready to explore your creativity but feel stuck by fear
- You want more joy in your workday
- You need a sign that it’s okay to try something new
This is your sign. This is your permission slip.
Play. Explore. Test. And ask for help.
Watch the Full Episode:
Show Notes with Timestamps:
00:00 — Meet Dr. Laura Brenner
05:12 — The three-year itch
10:40 — Burnout red flags
19:42 — Testing what kind of burnout you have
24:41 — Permission to play
33:51 — Starting over, one fun experiment at a time
45:22 — Jenna’s story: art as a career pivot
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Have you ever felt stuck in your career? Have you launched a side gig that changed your life?
I want to hear your story! DM me or drop a comment below. You never know who you might inspire.
And if you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend (especially the one who’s been secretly dreaming about change but hasn’t said it out loud yet!)
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And remember: Your side gig doesn’t have to be big.
It just has to be yours.
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