I got my teeth cleaned today and throughout the ~45 minute procedure, I had to keep reminding myself to breathe.
For some reason, I always tense up my body.
I call it barber anxiety.
When I get my hair cut, I need to remind myself to relax.
When I get a massage, I also need to relax.
When I get my teeth cleaned, I need to remember to breathe.
It just feels inherently awkward to me: another person “operating” on me, while I sit there. I can look at their face and realize that they aren’t even really looking back, because, well, they need to make sure they don’t cut my ears off.
In reality, there is no reason for me to feel tense. Maybe I can feel awkward or slightly embarrassed. But tense? Why? I’m literally not doing anything. Feeling tense while getting massaged by someone who you are paying to massage you is perhaps the most paradoxical sentence I’ve written this year.
Barber anxiety sucks… But it also doesn’t make sense. So don’t forget to breathe. Don’t forget to relax.
Blog of Jeff Wang 