I’m generally an open-minded and non-judgmental person but, as anyone who knows me can attest, I can also be a bit stubborn. On occasion, I form an opinion and am hard-headed about holding onto it, even in the face of evidence to the contrary and even when I may be self-sabotaging. I know I’m not the only one who does this; it seems to be wired into our human DNA. 

    With a bit of chagrin I acknowledge that one of the things I was close-minded about trying was acupuncture. I’m not sure what my block was. I had no clear reason, no previous bad experience, nothing concrete to explain my resistance. I’d heard trusted people exclaim about its effects and thought, “Eh, good for them, not for me.” I saw it demonstrated, so I could see acupuncture was painless and seemed effective for the recipients. I had opportunities to experience it, but declined each time. 

While I may be stubborn, I am also capable of big shifts (another human trait, I think). So it was for me with acupuncture! I don’t recall the exact circumstances that led me to finally try it for the first time about 8 years ago. I do remember going in with great trepidation, and coming away from the session feeling lighter, calmer, and more relaxed. The pain I had been experiencing was eased, if not gone. That wonderful feeling of relief and peace has become much more familiar over the years as I’ve had many treatments since, for varied complaints. This ancient technique that I stubbornly refused to try for so long is now a mainstay of my personal self-care! It creates a state of feeling/being I truly appreciate and can highly recommend. 

Jampa Stewart has written a wonderful article this month about acupuncture and the other modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which offer relief and
solutions to many of today’s health problems if we allow ourselves to step a bit out of the comfort zone. Our other topics this month echo this theme. We think we know what to expect from a trip to the dentist or our annual vision appointment. But what if what we’ve come to regard as normal is merely an old way of thinking that blocks us from feeling better, seeing better or even sleeping better?

This month we offer inspiration to approach regular situations with new tools and techniques. There are a plethora of options to try and possibilities to entertain if we can admit our own tendency to hold stubborn resistance. I encourage you to try something new in your self-care routine this month. Why not? You might love it as much as I now love my acupuncture treatments! 

With love and light,

Nicole