Chippewa Valley 5ive for Women The Chippewa Valley’s Premier Magazine for Women!
Related Articles
WRITTEN BY HEATHER ROTHBAUER-WANISH
Like many women, Dr. Beth Salonek is a busy wife, mother, and caregiver. Add to that a thriving dental practice, and you have a hectic schedule that involves juggling many different people and activities. Through all her endeavors, Beth strives to remain in the moment while building meaningful relationships with family members and patients. And she is enjoying every minute of it.
Faith
Because of her faith, Beth knows she always has somewhere to turn—especially during times of struggle. This foundation has helped Beth become a strong, independent, and professional woman. Beth’s faith intersects—directly and indirectly—every part of her life. She says, “When I decided to become a dentist, I had faith that God was helping me to make the right decisions in my professional life…and He did. When my husband and I decided to have children, we prayed that we would have the wisdom to raise our children with faith, love, and respect … and we are.”
With faith, Beth is better able to work through her parents’ declining health as she becomes a caregiver for them, “I prayed that God would give my parents the strength to live peacefully and without pain for how much or how little we have left with them…and He has.” She adds, “My advice to women concerning their faith would be that it doesn’t matter which you religion you practice, but more the faith you have in someone or something that will navigate you through the ups and downs of your life.”
Family
While she enjoys being a dentist, Beth’s top priority is her family: “I have been married to my husband, Toby, for 15 years and we have three boys: Jacob (13), Max (12), Ben (10), and a dog named Rudy. I love being a mom even more than I love being a dentist. I love seeing who they are growing into as young men, and I think they are pretty cool kids.”
In addition, Beth’s parents, who have been married for 52 years, live only one mile away.
With her busy dental practice, spending enough quality time with family can be challenging. “The boys are in sports, and Max is involved in theatre; so family time is usually spent having two boys grumbling about having to go watch the third boy’s event,” Beth jokingly explains. Even though the boys’ schedules can be hectic, Beth loves to watch them play and increase their skills. She adds, “We also enjoy traveling—having the boys experience the way other people live and seeing the different places is invaluable for their future endeavors and it is fun to experience these things as a family.”
Friends
“Finding time for friends is quite a challenge, but it is a ‘must’ in order to fulfill the part of my life that needs regeneration,” Beth explains. So, because of their integral role in her life, Beth works hard to maintain these “must” relationships. She gets together with a group of high school friends several times per year and also spends time with college friends annually during Country Jam. In addition, she connects with fellow parents from school, sports, and social events. “All of these groups bring something different and truly needed into my life,” says Beth.
Fitness
Recently, Beth has made a bold move toward a healthier lifestyle and, thus far, she has lost 50 pounds. “I was the girl who thought I didn’t have time to exercise or that I was happy the way I was,” she states. So, she began her journey with changes like parking farther away from the store and walking around the baseball field between games. She learned that you don’t need “to join a gym or have a personal trainer to live a healthier lifestyle. You need to make a change, no matter how small the steps.”
Finance
Finances always influence Beth’s professional decisions, but they never override her love of being a dentist. “I am lucky enough to have chosen a career where the financial benefits are in line with my personal goals. I am able to live a comfortable lifestyle while really enjoying what I do,” says Beth. She believes that if you are not truly happy and passionate about your career choice, then all of the money in the world will not make you happy—choose a career that you love and good things will follow, including financial success.
It’s also important to Beth that her children learn the value of hard work and passion for whatever career path they choose, “I explain that they are very fortunate for everything their dad and I are able to give them, and they need to understand how we got to this point.”
