Playing Small Helps No One — Especially the Kids
My children have long since flown the coop and are generally very kind to me these days. But back when they were younger — when family dinners were filled with banter and the kitchen floor was a minefield of Lego — we used to tease each other a lot.
One of their favourite digs at me was calling me a world-famous chiropractor.
I used to object — and I mean object — vehemently.
“No way,” I’d say. “I’m just a normal chiropractor who loves taking care of kids and has had the good fortune to share that passion now and then.”
But looking back, I can see it was about more than modesty.
The Tendency to Play Small
It’s a curious thing, isn’t it?
This instinct to play small — to deflect compliments, to stay quiet rather than speak up, to hesitate before sharing our expertise or experience.
And I know I’m not the only one.
We don’t want to seem full of ourselves.
We don’t want to brag.
We don’t want to outshine others or make anyone uncomfortable.
We don’t want to look like we’re trying too hard.
So we stay in the background.
We don’t raise our hands.
We don’t speak at conferences.
We don’t share that brilliant idea or insight.
We don’t follow up with that family who really could have used our help.
But here’s the cost:
When chiropractors play small, the message of chiropractic — especially chiropractic care for children — stays small too.
The Psychology Behind It
This isn’t just a personality quirk. There’s real science behind why so many of us hold back.
A 2020 review found that 82% of people experience impostor syndrome at some point in their lives (1).
It’s especially prevalent among women and those in minority groups — which includes us as chiropractors, and even more so as kids’-focused chiropractors.
Tall Poppy Syndrome — still common in Australia, the UK and beyond — discourages people from standing out, for fear of being “cut down.”
One study showed that women are 33% more likely to downplay their own achievements, even when their actual performance is equal to or better than their peers (2).
This means we may be holding back not because we aren’t capable — but because we’ve been culturally or socially conditioned to believe we shouldn’t shine too brightly.
The Opportunity to Step Up
Here’s the thing: you don’t need to be famous to make a difference. You don’t need to have a million followers, speak on big stages or publish in journals to have something worth sharing.
If you’re showing up every day in practice, caring for families and helping children thrive — your work matters.
Your voice matters.
And staying silent doesn’t serve you — or the children and parents who need to hear what you know.
This is your reminder to stop waiting until you feel “ready” or “qualified enough”
The work you’re doing is already enough.
You are already enough.
Final Thoughts
So maybe my kids were onto something after all.
Not about the “world-famous” part — I still think they were just stirring me up.
But about the value of saying yes to being seen.
About sharing what we know.
About stepping into spaces that challenge and grow us.
If we want the message of chiropractic to reach more families — if we want the next generation to benefit from the power of natural, vitalistic care — then we have to start by not hiding our own light.
Let’s stop playing small.
Let’s lift each other up.
Let’s let our voices be heard — especially when it’s in service of the children we care so deeply about.
With love and respect,
Dorte Bladt DC
Champion for Kids’ Health