Why do you do the things you do?

​Do you brush your teeth because a dentist scared you into doing it? Or because you've seen pictures of damaged, diseased teeth? Do you do it because your parents said you should? Or because it's just an automatic routine in your life, and it's 'just what we do'? Or do you do it because you know without a doubt that it's good for you and so you enjoy doing it? What is the motivation behind the things that we do every day?

I decided to experiment with going many days without brushing my teeth. I also experimented with brushing just once a day to see if maybe that was enough..maybe we've been lied to that we have to do it as often as 2 times a day..that's a lot! Maybe I could reduce it and beat the system! I wasn't going to just continue doing it out of habit because I was taught at a young age that was 'the right way', without ever really testing it for myself. When I did this experiment I discovered that OH MY GOD, YES! We need to brush twice a day, and I would love to even brush after every meal if I could! (which some dentists actually recommend)


I am  not one to just listen to authority, but man did those dentists get this one right! My teeth, my whole mouth, my whole life experience was disgusting without brushing daily! Even brushing just once a day was definitely not enough. I felt the plaque buildup so strongly after a day of eating, or even after a few hours without having brushed in the morning. After finally brushing (and flossing!), the luxurious sensation of having smooth, clean, sparkly teeth and a fresh mouth was enough to make me totally fall in love with my once mundane brushing routine. Now when I brush and floss my teeth it's such a pleasurable experience because I KNOW THE VALUE OF WHY I DO IT. I've experienced firsthand the immediate consequences of not doing it and so I truly know how important it is to my health. Not just because I've heard about it and maybe intellectually believe that it's important. But because I really KNOW, without a doubt. 


This is how everything works in life. We have to experience something ourselves to know it's value. We cannot just be told to do something, or to care about something. We have to feel it and experience it's opposite to truly know. Only until we've felt what it's like to not have what we want can we really know what we want. This is why unpleasant experiences are just as valuable and beautiful as pleasant ones. Because they're here to remind you, to teach you, to further solidify the things that you care about, what you like, and how you choose to create your life.


We have to do this with everything in our life experience. We have to question each action, each word, each pattern, each choice, each thought. Why do I do this or engage in this? Is it something that I really want? Is it something that really aligns with the truest parts of who I am? Or is it just unconscious habit? Is it something I've learned and picked up from family, friends, society, or even old ancestral patterns that no longer serve me, and us collectively, now? Is it something I do or say to cover up what I would really like to do or say?


No one will have a good answer to these questions except you. But you gotta have a good answer for yourself. And even if you don't have the answer, asking the questions can be enough to bring more authenticity, power and meaning into doing the things you do.