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A little thought experiment!
Let us say that some of your closest friends tell you about a terrific new restaurant in Boise. You and your spouse decide to take the plunge and give it a try. Because it is in a new part of town and you have never been there before, you consult Siri, or whatever onboard directions you use, to give you directions to the eatery. She tells you to plan for 38 minutes given the traffic conditions, weather, etc., because she has access to a ton of data points. She has a bird’s-eye view of the situation. But 5 minutes into the drive, you are getting antsy and wondering why you are not there yet. Hmm… you think to yourself, I’m going to call one of my friends who recommended the place and ask him how he got there. You are completely ignoring the fact that 5 minutes ago, Siri clearly set your expectation at 38 minutes, based on her data and experience, and your lack of data and experience. So you reroute based on your friend’s advice and now you feel a bit better, like you are making progress. Now another 10 minutes goes by, and you still are not making the progress you think you should be, so you decide to call another friend because you just can’t stay focused and trust the process. Friend #2 gives you his take, and you think to yourself, this guy has it dialed in. So you reroute again, completely ignoring that friend #2 was starting his journey from his home, not yours. The directions he gave only make sense if you are leaving from his house. But he gives you his advice, you co-opt it into your driving plan, another reroute, and now you can rest easy for the rest of the drive. And now you’re ignoring not only the original plan, but also the amended plan you got from friend #1. Then, another option you consider is pulling into the nearest burger joint and calling it good. But maybe at a time like this, you should consider that your friends are giving you directions from their point of view, not yours. The drive from their house to the restaurant is different from yours and yet now you have incorporated their journey into yours. And with all of these detours you spend 58 minutes trying to get to the place because you have been second guessing the original plan. Because you got too impatient, you spent more time and gas money.Absurd?
Absolutely!
Many people approach their health journey this same way. They will consult a practitioner of basically any alternative healing art, begin care, and then simultaneously begin the painful process of second guessing the original plan. That’s where calling friends and family, “researching” the internet and making appointments with other kinds of practitioners begins. Then guess what happens? The journey to the original goal takes longer than it should and is more expensive. Getting impatient and trying something else before your body has time to respond is a recipe for failure.
Most folks who come here are focused on the pain. Fair enough. But most who practice an alternative healing art are looking past the pain for the problem, for the imbalance that is causing the pain.
So here are a few suggestions that will help you get out of this headspace and focus on the healing journey ahead:
- Quit talking to your friends about your problem. As well meaning as they are, their journey is not the same as yours. They will certainly cloud the picture and slow your progress.
- Stay away from the internet. People who obsessively “research” their perceived problem rarely improve their chances of quality and lasting healing. More information does not mean more healing.
- Stop consulting other practitioners for a time. If and when the time comes, a good clinician will know when you are not making the type of progress they think you should be or could be. The good practitioner will refer when necessary. Let the process work.
- Stay positive and focus on the reason you came. Do I want to play golf? Do I want to play with my grand-kids? What am I missing out on? Everyone has a reason and that reason is not just to be out of pain. Be out of pain for what?
- Remind yourself often that there is a reason you consulted an alternative healthcare provider. Most likely, and I hear this often, is “I don’t want to take any more drugs!”
- Remind yourself that we are not treating your symptoms. We are correcting imbalances that lead to symptoms. If you grasp just this one concept, you will get way more out of your treatment protocol.
- Remind yourself there is a much easier way to get mere pain relief. They are called drugs. Yes, drugs work if you want your problem covered up. This would be the equivalent of stopping at the first fast food place you pass and bagging out on the 38 minute drive and the nice experience of the terrific restaurant. Drugs are the equal of fast food. Yes they do the job but they come with consequences, known as “side effects”.
Friends once you decide on where you want to go, and the drive takes 38 minutes, go the full 38! Don’t take any detours and don’t get too many other well meaning opinions in on it to convolute the program. Stay the course and keep all the extra cooks out of the kitchen. You will certainly get there sooner and better.
Keep it simple; we are here to help.
Cheers,
KS
Reprinted with permission from Swaim Chiropractic.
