The Choice Between Two Versions of Hard
What to Do When Passion Won't Pay for Healthcare
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Welcome!
What happens when what your soul wants and what your life requires pull you in opposite directions?
In this episode of Dim to Daring, host Wendy Rimmelspacher explores what to do when passion won't pay for healthcare—and how to navigate the very real choice between two versions of hard without burning out or betraying yourself.
Drawing from two listeners' stories—a solo mom weighing healthcare against fulfillment, and a dental hygienist who's drained but doesn't know what she wants—Wendy gets real about the impossible choice no one wants to say out loud: What do you do when both options feel wrong?
You'll discover a practical framework for sorting your dreams by timing (not worthiness), how to map two hard paths so you can actually choose between them, and why sometimes survival IS the soul's work—without guilt, without shame, and without giving up on who you're becoming.
This is your permission to make the strategic choice that keeps you stable while you figure out what's next.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
The two stories: A solo mom facing surgery bills and a career pivot, and a dental hygienist stuck without knowing what she wants next
Why both choices feel wrong—and why that's not your fault: The cultural lie that "following your passion" will make everything fall into place
The truth nobody says out loud: Sometimes your soul's answer IS to choose the stable thing
How to sort your dreams by timing: The three-tier system (Right-Now Reach, 2-Year Horizon, Beautiful Someday)
The Two-Path Clarity Exercise: Four questions to map what you're actually choosing between
Which version of hard you can live with—and respect yourself for choosing
My own story: How I survived career burnout by adding small soul-keeping moves without blowing up my CFO career
How to keep your soul alive in survival mode: Four practical strategies that don't add to your plate
Why choosing the clinic job with benefits isn't betraying yourself—it's protecting what matters most
The real problem when you have too many interests: You're not scattered—you just need to know what belongs to NOW vs. LATER
How to stop treating "now" like "forever"—and give yourself a review date
✨ If you've been lying awake doing mental math about whether you can afford to leave your job, carrying guilt because you have big dreams and kids who need healthcare, or wondering if choosing stability means giving up on yourself—this episode is your reminder that you're not failing. You're being wise. And there's a way to honor both.
Timestamps:
[00:00] – Teaser: My word for 2026 is steady
[01:20] – Intro: A quieter reflection for 2026
[01:36] – Reflecting on 2025: My word was daring
[01:56] – The story of waiting 3.5 years to launch this podcast
[02:22] – What I learned about fear disguised as responsibility
[02:56] – Lessons learned: Who I am NOT anymore
[03:04] – What dims me (and why noticing matters)
[04:20] – Why steady for 2026
[05:07] – A practice for you: Notice your nervous system signals
[05:17] – When do you feel amped? When do you feel steady?
[06:00] – Finding your word: What do you need more of this year?
[06:42] – Let your word surprise you
[06:59] – Closing invitation: You're not behind
[07:12] – Let’s embrace this gift of a new year.
Key Points:
Sometimes Survival IS the Soul's Work — Choosing the stable job with healthcare isn't betraying yourself; it's protecting what matters most
You're Not Wrong for Wanting Both — Financial security AND fulfilling work aren't mutually exclusive desires
Passion Doesn't Pay for Surgery — The cultural lie that "alignment" will make money follow is cruel, not inspirational
Sort Dreams by Timing, Not Worthiness — Some belong to NOW, some to a 2-year plan, some to a beautiful SOMEDAY
Which Version of Hard Can You Live With? — Both paths are hard—the question is which one moves you forward vs. keeps you treading water
Strategic Choices Keep You Stable While You Build — The women who thrive don't follow bliss off a cliff; they make wise moves that buy them time
Give Yourself a Review Date — Choosing survival now doesn't mean you're stuck forever—it means you're buying yourself time to see more clearly
Stop Treating "Now" Like "Forever" — The clinic job isn't your forever job; it's your right-now job
Episode Summary:
In this episode, I share the stories of two women in this community who are facing impossible choices: a solo mom weighing a draining job against one that pays more but feels soul-crushing, and a dental hygienist who knows she's done but has no idea what she wants next.
Drawing from their courage and my own experience of surviving CFO burnout without quitting, I offer a framework for navigating the choice between two versions of hard—when neither option feels right, but you still have to choose.
You'll discover how to sort your dreams by timing instead of worthiness, how to map two paths so you can see what you're actually choosing between, and why sometimes choosing the practical thing is the most self-respecting choice you can make.
Whether you're a solo parent doing the math on whether you can afford to leave, someone with twelve passions who doesn't know which to choose, or a woman who just knows there has to be something more—this episode gives you permission to honor both your survival needs and your soul needs, without guilt and without giving up on who you're becoming.
Links & Resources:
📲 Follow Wendy on Social Media:
Website: Wendy Rimmelspacher
Instagram: @wendy_rimmelspacher
Facebook: Wendy Sexton Rimmelspacher
LinkedIn: Wendy Rimmelspacher
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Remember:
You're not failing because you chose stability over passion.
You're not betraying yourself because you took the job with benefits.
You're not giving up on your dreams because you acknowledged they're not possible right now.
Choosing the practical thing doesn't mean you've given up on yourself—it means you're taking care of yourself.
Having a long list of interests doesn't mean you're scattered—it means you're alive.
And making a hard choice now doesn't close the door on everything else—it opens the door to what's next.
You don't have to see the whole staircase. You just need to see the next step.
Keep daring to honor both your survival and your soul—one strategic, imperfect choice at a time. 👠