𝑻𝒉𝒆 π‘«π’†π’π’•π’Šπ’”π’• π‘ͺπ’‰π’‚π’Šπ’“

I LOVE my dentists. They have creamy soft tangerine chairs that feel fabulous. They point out what is right with my teeth. I fly two states away to see them twice a year.

Then I sit in the chair tense as an over-tuned guitar. All of me is on alert for pain.

Sheesh. She’s just scraping my teeth. It’s fine. It won’t hurt. It’ll be over soon. All this negotiating trying to make myself feel better.

I spent the better part of an hour doing this and wishing for it to be over.

Then……I remembered that I have the ability to coach myself. Who knew?

This is not about pain. This is about the possibility of pain. I instinctively tense up to move away from it, arm myself, desire to be anywhere but this present moment, creating a miserable experience.

What if I allow the possibility of pain? even encourage it? I’ve been through pain of all kinds and survived. I can handle a poke into my gums.

I’ve got this. I’ve got my own back here.

As a matter of fact, I look forward to pain. Where is it? I believe in my resilience.

π‘†π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Ž π‘ƒβ„Žπ‘’π‘›π‘›π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝑖𝑠 π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ πΏπ‘’π‘Žπ‘‘ π΄π‘ π‘ π‘œπ‘π‘–π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π‘Žπ‘‘ π‘‡β„Žπ‘’ π»π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘€π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘†π‘‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’: π‘‡π‘œπ‘œπ‘™π‘  π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝐴𝑛 π΄π‘šπ‘Žπ‘§π‘–π‘›π‘” 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒, π‘Ž πΆπ‘’π‘Ÿπ‘‘π‘–π‘“π‘–π‘’π‘‘ 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘ π‘Šπ‘’π‘–π‘”β„Žπ‘‘ πΆπ‘œπ‘Žπ‘β„Ž. π‘†β„Žπ‘’β€™π‘  π‘π‘Žπ‘ π‘ π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘’ π‘Žπ‘π‘œπ‘’π‘‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘Žπ‘β„Žπ‘–π‘›π‘” π‘€π‘œπ‘šπ‘’π‘› π‘‘π‘œ π‘™π‘œπ‘ π‘’ 50 π‘œπ‘Ÿ π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘π‘œπ‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘ β€¦.π‘π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘šπ‘Žπ‘›π‘’π‘›π‘‘π‘™π‘¦. π‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘œπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘šπ‘Ž. π‘π‘œ π‘šπ‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘ π‘‘π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘”π‘”π‘™π‘’.