Do you ever wait for things to become unbearable before you do something to change them?

“Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible.” -George Claude Lorimer

On Monday I got my wisdom tooth pulled. It was something I knew I needed to do since June but I kept putting it off.   I could tell you the same lie I was telling myself which is I was just too busy to make the time for it.  But the truth is I was scared of having the surgery. And so rather than opening the door to deal with the monster in the closet, I continued to crawl under the covers.

That was until the end of last week when pain started to set in and my gums began to swell. I told myself I could take it; after all I had a workshop to facilitate the following weekend so the timing was not convenient! But by Friday the pain was more than I could stand.  I called my oral surgeon, whom I have cancelled on twice, and asked for an appointment ASAP.  Fortunately for me, it turns out that not many people choose to get their wisdom teeth out on Valentines Day so I was scheduled for 8am on February 14^th.

With a nervous stomach and mind full of positive visualizations, I faced the monster and went in for the extraction.  It was so easy and virtually painless I woke up from my twilight sleep amazed that the surgery was over.  Not only was I relieved, I started cracking up – and no it was not because of the laughing gas! I was so amused at how much my fear got in the way of removing something that needed to go.  When the surgeon showed me the tooth that had begun to decay he said, “Next time maybe do not wait until something begins to rot before you get rid of it.”  Good advice, Doc.

Today I invite you to consult with your inner wisdom and examine what is ready to be extracted from your life. All too often we wait, procrastinate and make excuses to delay doing something until a situation gets so bad, we are forced to take action.  If you are thinking of something that has begun to decay, be it a relationship, thing, or pattern, are you already coming up with excuses for why you can’t let go just yet?  Take it from me and don’t wait until pain trumps your fear. I promise you’ll feel better once you realize the monster in the closet is never as scary as you think.

With love,

Christine

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” -Dale Carnegie