When Common Is Not Normal

Have you ever woken up feeling different and realized that what you accepted as normal was not serving you at all?

I usually write my articles on a Saturday morning. I love waking up early, letting the words flow, and writing for as long as I want.

But the morning when I wrote this felt different. I woke up feeling so good and relaxed, a feeling I had not experienced for months. And right in that moment, the insight arrived: it is incredible how we get used to things that do not feel good and start believing they are normal.

I have known the phrase “It is not because it is common that it is normal” for a long time. Yet today, I experienced it on another level.

It has now been two and a half years of using invisible aligners, the clear trays used to straighten teeth. They require daily commitment. Even though I am used to them, they still take effort and discipline. They also train my mind, because the original plan was 18 months and we are now more than a year past that.

In September, I went for a massage with a fantastic professional I used to see when I lived in Montreal. I love her treatment, and I had not seen her in more than seven years.

At the end of the session, she looked at me and said: Go see an osteopath. All this tension in your shoulders is connected to the aligners.

That was my first light bulb moment. It explained why weekly massages were not shifting anything. I thought working long hours on a computer made this tension normal. Again, it was common for me, but not normal for my body.

What I did not consider is that invisible aligners slowly change your structure. They shift your bite, jaw position, and muscle activation. Small shifts, every single day, that can influence the whole chain down to the neck, shoulders, and posture.

I went home, found a professional based on her instructions, and went for a session soon after.

I was blown away. I knew I had tension, and I assumed most of it came from the aligners. But when he looked at my whole body, the aligners accounted for only 30 percent. The rest came from a different source. He measured, tested, and adjusted. And I remembered how good it feels to have a body physically aligned.

I left the session knowing I needed to give my body time to integrate the adjustments, and I honored that.

Then I woke up the day after without the sensation of a muzzle in my mouth. I could still feel the aligners, but the pressure and tension I had carried for months were simply not there.

Maybe this is the real normal. And I had forgotten what it felt like.

I was so used to not feeling well that I did not even question what else was possible.

I work with coaching daily, and I see the expansion it brings. Feeling this shift physically reminded me how powerful human alignment is. Mind, body, emotions, structure, beliefs. We are a whole system, not separate parts.

Now it is your turn.

• What do you feel is normal in your life that maybe should not be?
• Where are you adapting to discomfort instead of exploring solutions?

If you feel out of alignment and are ready to explore what is possible, reach out. Coaching is powerful when you work with someone who sees you fully.

If you want support with your mindset, or guidance for your leaders and teams, I may be your person, send me a direct message.

You are important, you matter. Take care of yourself.