Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Adventures in Flossing


Lately I’ve been struggling to floss my teeth. It’s frustrating. I want to maintain good oral hygiene but sticking my fingers in my mouth makes me gag some days.

Not fun, though a minor inconvenience. Seems like a puzzle needing solved. So I took stock of the situation. Our floss is mint flavored, which should conceivably aid the process. I decided to really focus on the flavor by pretending I was actually enjoying a mint candy.

“Why not make it a mantra?” I thought. “I’m sucking on a mint.”

But that seemed boring to the storyteller in me. So I added visuals. The chant took off from there.

An entire scene evolved over the brief period. I imagined some of the best things I know by adding I am sitting on a beach. A string of pelicans is flying by.


And finally I ended: I’m sucking on a mint. I am sitting on a beach. A string of pelicans is flying by. The surf is washing over my toes. Sexy surfers are out riding the waves. There is a kite string in my hand.

Focusing and building upon each repeated sentence constructing my idyllic scene totally got me through without any eye watering and potentially embarrassing annoyance. It’s a strange post, admittedly, but perhaps my trick can help someone.

What mind games help you through minor difficulties?

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19 comments:

  1. I make up stories. It gets me through various challenging situations.

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    1. Cool! And you sure face some challenging situations that often amaze me when I read them on your Laws of Gravity blog. Thank you for stopping by!

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  2. I am a daydreamer and the day dreaming comes in handy when I'm bored with whatever I'm doing. Also audio books for longer tasks.

    @Kathleen01930 Blog

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    1. Oh, daydreaming is nice. It got me through many school days in my youth. :) Audio books are great, too, though my partner has me hooked on podcasts these days for medium to long drives. Thank you for stopping by, my dear, and for sharing the awesome recipe on your blog. Sounds yummy.

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  3. Daydreaming is very fun. When I am driving sometimes I pretend I'm in a big rig, with a baseball cap on backwards, CB mic in my hand, and I make up "handles" for other truckers I'm calling....Your beach mind scene is quite beautiful

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    1. I like the way you think! My pre-teen desire to be a trucker never came to fruition, the romance lost as I began driving in real traffic conditions, but I still like the ideal version in my head. Thank you for the kind word.

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  4. I have issues with toothpaste, so I empathize...Maybe I'm not that creative when dealing with undesirable tasks. I think I just grit my teeth and bear it. Need to try your way. It sounds much more pleasant.

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    1. I'm sorry you struggle with toothpaste. That's got to be even tougher considering I brush several times a day. Be well, my dear!

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  5. I use those Reach flossers. So much easier...and you don't have to put your fingers in your mouth at all!

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    1. Thank you for the tip! I've never tried them, for some reason thinking they look tricky to manage. But how can I know unless I do try? May have to check them out. I hope you are having a lovely day!

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  6. minnie@mail.postmanllc.net

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  7. I use the little reachers, too. I used to be a dental assistant, and some things do not change, like flossing being a necessary evil. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you for the kind word on my silly little post. And I really appreciate dental assistants! Hugs to you, too, my dear.

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  8. What a great idea - I'm going to start using it for loads of things.

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    1. Awesome! I hope this helps. And thank you for stopping by with a kind word, my dear.

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  9. I'm with Liz, I make up stories whilst doing the things I dislike most :) Luckily, I don't have a problem with flossing but I do think of The Big Bang Theory and Sheldon's disgust at the mirror afterwards :) Crack's me up!

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    1. That's too funny. Thank you for stopping by with a kind word! Be well, my dear.

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  10. You can buy floss that has a handle on it, a bunch to a pack. I use them and I floss more that way. They are called floss picks. Give those a try.

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    1. Thank you for the tip. My little problem is worsening and I need to do something, though yesterday I was okay. ~grin~ I appreciate you for taking the time to stop by and comment!

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