InHealth: Finding Happiness During Covid

By Jill Morris, DMD | October 2021

These are challenging times. Over the last 21 months in my dental practice, I have been working with a fearful and divided public. Both patients and employees have voiced fears of exposure to the virus in our dental setting. 

Two 70-year-old men argued about masks and vaccines, almost coming to blows in our reception room. In the shrinking work force, we have had difficulty finding support staff. We have navigated sick family members and employees, making it challenging at times to deliver the stellar patient service for which we are known.

The fear and stress of job loss, lockdowns, and sickness has caused rampant dental decay and gum disease like nothing I have ever seen in my 36 years of practice. I have seen patients with 13 cavities they didn’t have one year ago. The ADA describes this as “mask mouth.” Stress also contributes to clenching and grinding of the teeth, resulting in TMJ pain. 

Weary of worrying, I realized the only thing that I can control is me and that my happiness is up to me. With most people locked into their opinions about our many challenges right now, I knew I needed to find inner peace and work on healing everything I could that affects my happiness.

I stopped focusing outward. I hired two life coaches to help me rid myself of my personal baggage and to move into a more positive vibration. They call it “doing your shadow work.” I asked God to help me move my traumas and my relationships “into the Light.” My coaches told me that whether a person believes in God or not, they can send any problem to the light. I now pray and meditate every morning. In the evening, I mentally go through how I navigated the day and reacted to situations, releasing any relationship or communication challenge I may have experienced. 

On the physical level, I began a practice of Tai Chi Gung, an energy-based martial art, with Master Lama Rasaji via internet classes. I sleep better than I have in years. I turned to “clean eating” eating non-processed foods and juicing, while working out 20 minutes daily. I work at least 6 days a week combining direct patient care with helping my son in his dental laboratory, so my days are highly structured to fit everything that needs to get done. 

Daily rituals are important for me. In the morning, I list everything and everyone I am grateful for. Once a week I look in a mirror and speak aloud my list of positive affirmations. I send my past and future worries to the Light. If I catch myself judging someone, I send it to the Light. I visualize the Light emanating from my solar plexus to heal the sick that I say by name, if able. I believe my healing Light Energy repairs every cell in my body. I visualize the Light as a bubble around me that only allows good to come to me. I put that light bubble around my dental practice. 

I have a faith and a knowing that this Light is in everyone, and it can change everything. I thank God for love and light. I see humanity as good and that each soul is on his or her own personal journey. By joining together with our differences and similarities, we can transform our planet and find peace. 

World Class Dentistry
Jill Morris, DMD
3951 Swift Rd
Sarasota, FL 34231
(941) 487-0587
sarasotadentist.com