Staying motivated...

Hi there!

Goodness, I have been neglectful of this blog but I'm looking to make up for that.

In this post I'd like to talk about my progress and staying motivated in my ongoing myofuntional therapy.

First, I must start with a confession... the past week ro so I have not been as diligent with my exercises as I really should be. Heaven knows I want to be rehabilitated but like any rehabilitative therapy, it s not easy to accept that things that used to feel natural are now going to feel effortful.

My myofunctional therapist reminds me that it will take a good 6 months to a year for my new speech and eating habits to feel completely natural and normal. In the meantime, I must contend with the frustration of having to slow down my speech to avoid sloppy enunciation and dentalizing certain consonants. I also must slow down when eating and drinking to concentrate on properly chewing and swallowing. I must also learn to take smaller bites and not open my mouth as much as I used to.

I understand why I need to do all these things but it can be hard when I just want to engage in casual conversation or simply eat. So I remind myself of my long-term goals: improved diction, being able to enunciate properly when speaking quickly, improved appearance, and - most importantly - closing my infernal open bite!

And so when I feel myself eating too fast, swallowing improperly, or saying an 'L' by pressing my tongue against my front incisors instead of on the spot, I remind myself that engaging in these habits pushes my goals further away.

And when I engage in proper speech, take small bites, and concentrate on swallowing correctly, I remind myself that I am that much closer to those goals.

Luckily, despite my slackness (is that a word?), I have not lost the gains I have made from my therapy. I keep my tongue on the spot nearly all the time. I dentalize very little - it usually happens when I speak too fast. Swallowing during eating and drinking is still easier and I don't get nearly as much food caught between my upper gums and cheeks like I used to. I sleep well and look well. Reminding myself of these gains also helps to keep me motivated because its easy to forget how I used to struggle with my speech and eating.

So, though I may have stumbled a bit I shall keep picking myself up and performing my exercises, reminding myself of how far I've come. And that's good advice for anyone engaging in orofacial therapy... or therapy of any kind, really!

Remember, if you are tongue tied there's no reason you can't take steps to improve your speech, appearance, and eating and drinking habits. I was 34 when I had my lingual frenectomy and began myofunctional therapy, so it's never too late!

- Happy Trails!