Finding balance in a chaotic world

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Off to the Dentist

So I had my teeth cleaned today and now they are shiny and smooth. Growing up, a trip to the dentist meant a day full of stress and worrying. My mother would typically take me after school, so I’d be sitting in the waiting room worrying until that door opened and they called my name. I would actually be a little queasy because of how worried I was. They’d walk me back to the chair and off we would go. I would hope that I did not have a cavity, but most of the time, that was not the case. A new appointment would be scheduled, this time with needles and drills, adding to my stress level.

 

Why all the stress? I don’t really know. Mostly it was a combination of fear of failure and fear of needles. Still I had an acute fear of the dentist, mostly illogical. In fact once I remember that I went one last time when I was in college before I was no longer on my mother’s dental insurance. Then for five years I never went back. When I finally did go back, I had about five teeth that needed to be worked on and two of them were crowns. I still felt that stress about going to the dentist, among other reasons; I still went to the same one in the same office.

 

After all I had all the dental work completed; I continued to go and had better reports. I still needed some work, usually replacing something that had been installed earlier. Then one day I had the epiphany. If I brushed and flossed every day, I bet I would have fewer cavities. I know, big revelation, but still I did that and now, each time I go in, it’s a whole different experience. I actually get complemented on my dental hygiene and it has been years since I’ve had any additional work done.

 

Now the idea of brushing and flossing is not revolutionary, but it often seemed to be too much effort. I actually brushed my teeth so my breath wouldn’t stink, not to keep my teeth clean. Flossing took a little more mental energy to get into the habit, but now it seems natural. So because of my laziness, I subjected myself to unnecessary inconvenience, discomfort, and cost to cover all of my dental work.

 

So it makes me wonder, what other simple changes can I make in my life that can make dramatic changes in my overall lifestyle? Here’s another revolutionary idea: eat less and exercise more. Don’t change what I’m eating, just eat less of it. Find the clutter points in the house and remove them. Simple little things like this pay off huge dividends in the future.

 

If I told you that by spending an extra five minutes in the morning and night, you can save yourself hours of downtime and hundreds of dollars, would it be worth it? Of course, and that is exactly what has happened since I started taking care of my teeth. Less time and money spent at the dentist.

 

Dental hygiene is probably not your issue, but I bet there is something. Eating, spending, hobbies, family time, etc. Whatever it is, look and see if there is a little change you make daily that will pay off hugely as time goes on. Oh, and brush and floss every day.