New Behaviors

Over the past few months I've had three different fillings fall out of my mouth. Some fell out easier than others. Apparently these things have a shelf life, and after 20-30 years, it was time for them to come out. (who knew?) They have been a part of me for so long that I didn't even know I had any fillings. But now they are gone, and my teeth don't fit together normally anymore.

It is driving me crazy. After 20-30 years of my teeth fitting together in a specific way, it is very uncomfortable and unnatural for my teeth to not fit just right. I'm being forced to learn a new behavior for something that should come naturally.

No, this isn't going to be a complaint about the expense of dental work. (Although it could be. Do you know how much it will cost to get three fillings?? Nearly $1,000!) It is about learning new behaviors.

I find stopping old behaviors and learning new ones are some of the hardest things we will ever have to do. But if we fail to do it, the consequences can be very painful. (constant headache from my jaw not setting right) And yet, in spite of how hard it can be, we have to do it. Complaining about it doesn't get you anywhere. Taking control and accountability for it, and doing something about it, does.

For me this is going to be a long process. Not only do I have to deal with the current discomfort, but I'm going to have to get new fillings, which will mean readjusting my jaw all over again. (And probably more than once as I doubt I'll be able to afford all three fillings at the same time.) But they claim what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. By conquering change and learning new behaviors, we improve, we become better people.

And so we must go on. We must learn to overcome our past, our weaknesses, our learned behaviors, and learn new ones.