The condition of my teeth was insecurity in my younger years.   I had a hard water stain, at least that is what I believed it to be, on one of the front ones and my bottom room looked like a raggedy picket fence and I have an overbite.  At the age of 38, I got myself braces!  I stayed in them for two years; I hoped I would have them off by my 40th birthday but no such luck.  Nonetheless, I am out of them and I’m happy with my smile.  I still have an overbite but my bottom row is straight and the hard water stain is covered.  I do have a permanent retainer on the bottom row and my orthodontist instructed me to wear the removable retainers at night or else my teeth would shift.  However, I fall into these pits of laziness. I paid a good deal of money for my teeth to be corrected and the thought of paying more money to correct what has already been fixed.  OMG!  It’s not like it takes a lot of effort to pop the retainers in before bed and call it a night, right? But I DO NOT DO IT!

This experience reminds me of our soul journeys.  We can put in so much work and effort into our evolution and growth and still fall into pits of laziness and contentment aka “out of alignment”.  We fall off our meditation practices/routines, mindfulness, journaling, praying, rituals, etc.  When this happens a “shift” happens to us outwardly it happens within us.  We feel out of sorts and out of balance…a bit crooked.  It’s the beginning of a downward spiral.  Friends, I encourage you to wear your “retainers”.  Just pop it in!  I know life can get ramp up and we’re pulled in various directions because we wear so many hats.  You may have to but scale back on the number of days or time allotted for your routines.  However, retain your efforts by all means.  You’ve invested so much of your energy to better yourself; do not allow yourself to return to a crooked space, which will result in feelings of insecurity or set you back to a place where you do not feel your best.

Today, I’m committing to popping my retainers in at night in order for the “shifting” of my teeth not to occur.  Will you commit to wearing your “retainer” in order to stay in alignment?  I have confidence you will!