Some things we think we know. We are confident we know. We don’t question it because we’ve always done it.
But sometimes someone comes along and shatters that notion. You suddenly realize it was a preconceived notion. This happened to me at my dentist’s office.
I was at my regular cleaning appointment, the dental hygienist scraping away plaque with that scary pick-looking instrument (you know, the thing that looks like a weapon that could kill you with a tiny puncture wound).
Everyone knows – or so I thought – that you open your mouth wide when you go to the dentist. I was taught as a child that the wider you open your mouth, the easier it is for the worker to do their thing and see all your teeth properly. Quite honestly, I was somewhat proud that opening my mouth wide was something I could do easily for long periods of time. I thought it made me a good patient and made the dentist’s work easier.
Here comes the kicker: It’s not always a good thing.
Low and behold, the hygienist asked me, “Can you please close your mouth a little bit? It’ll loosen up the skin in your cheeks so I can work around your back teeth.”
Surprised? I was. I told her I didn’t think I’d ever heard a dentist tell me that before. She just laughed.
The moral of the story? Always be ready to be proven wrong. Your beliefs are not infallible. One day, a dental hygienist will blow your world away… so be ready.
It could be something quite small and insignificant, or something big and actually life changing. Keep an open mind about everything, and always have your best learning attitude an arm’s reach away so you can pivot from shock to gratitude smoothly. Developing positive habits like this can truly change your life.
“Try to keep your mind open to possibilities and your mouth closed on matters that you don’t know about. Limit your ‘always’ and your ‘nevers.”
I know this is a silly example, but everyone you meet, from the dentist to the garbage man, knows something you don’t know. Be willing to learn from them. After all, this is a crazy world we live in, and things are not always as they seem.
What’s the best (or weirdest!) thing someone ever taught you unexpectedly? When was the last time someone broke one of your preconceived notions? Please comment below, as we’d love to hear about it.
