by Tricia
When I close my eyes at night, I sometimes start to relive our latest financial happenings. Did we spend too much money? How can we lower our gas bill? What utility company is going to raise their rates next? The list can go on and on. Some nights it would take me hours to fall asleep at night.
By chance, I stumbled upon a story about useless body parts. Did you know that all of us have three muscles that enable us to move our ears like dogs and cats can? It’s not a practical thing that we need to do anymore, but some people can still learn how to wiggle their ears.
While laying awake one night, I thought about that story. For giggles, I gave it a shot. Nothing. I tried again with a little more “oomph.†I could feel every muscle in my face tightening and it almost felt like I was trying to move an object using telekinesis. That ear wasn’t budging. I don’t remember trying for too long. Why? I fell asleep.
You have to be kidding me. I usually spend over an hour falling asleep at night yet it only took me at most twenty minutes. Maybe I was onto something.
The next night, I started back up with my ear-wiggling quest. Wouldn’t you know it? When I lifted my eyebrows a certain way, I could feel a slight move of my ear on my pillow. Bingo. I was getting somewhere, but that was all for that night because again I fell asleep way ahead of schedule.
I kept trying to wiggle my ears night after night. To my amazement, I’ve been falling asleep in record time and I am proud to say that I can now move my right ear on command and I’m getting pretty good at it. I’ve been trying to move my left ear, but I haven’t been able to budge that one yet. I’m still trying, though.
Now, this new-found talent will not bring us more money for our debt, but it does help keep things a little light-hearted. Sometimes, I get so focused on money that I forget about satisfying the inner child in me. She’s someone that doesn’t come out very often anymore.
Next time you are having trouble getting to sleep, instead of counting sheep (which has never worked for me) give ear wiggling a try. Just don’t get discouraged and keep your attempts light-hearted. I smile every time, thinking of how I’ll be a 30-something year old female who will soon be able to share her ear wiggling talent with the world. It’s silly, it’s a challenge, and it’s helping me to forget my financial worries and to fall asleep at night.
