Hey First name / friend,

 

I know I kicked off last week's email with a bit of complaining… 

 

 

Because even though this week was significantly better than last, it started out with some bad news. 

 

Like, $19,000 dental bill bad news. 

 

Now, I promise that venting to you in these Friday emails won't become a recurring theme, but this news is something I want to talk to you about, because there's a lesson to learn here. 

 

 

Unfortunately, this is something I've learned the hard way…

 

If you keep avoiding the things you don't want to do, they'll come back and bite you in the ass—and let me freaking tell you, the longer you avoid it, the larger the problem grows, and that bite will be with bigger, sharper teeth.

 

And it will hurt like hell. In the form of a $19,000 dental bill. Ouch. 

 

I know you're wondering what in the world could possibly be going on in my mouth in order for me to be cutting my periodontist a check as large as a down payment on a house, so here's what's up:

 

I have the worst dental anxiety of anyone you've ever met. 

 

If you just thought “ugh, me too, I hate the dentist” - no. It's worse than that. I will cry just sitting in the waiting room, thinking about sitting in the chair. I once got up and left smack dab in the middle of getting a filling because I couldn't do it. Dentists hate me. 

 

So I didn't get a cleaning for five years. Maybe more. 

 

(Embarrassing? Yeah. But that's genuinely how petrified I am of the dentist. Full on panic-attack petrified.)

 

The little voice of reason inside me knew that not going would make the situation worse, but I told that stupid voice to shut the hell up and leave me alone, because I'm not going into that office GOSH DARNIT *stomps foot in a tantrum*

 

I simply swore I'd deal with it later.

 

Welp. “Later” happened. 

 

If you've been subscribed to my email list for a while, you may remember me complaining about a previous dental situation a few months ago. A lovely $6,000 bill that time. 

 

Back in December, my tooth pain was worse than childbirth (and that's coming from someone who has been through a 30-hour labor and an emergency C-section after pushing for 90 minutes and getting pneumonia one day later). I had no choice but to face my fear. 

 

When they told me I needed a root canal, I sat in the chair and cried for 3 hours. 

 

When they told me that after the root canal I'd need gum surgery, wisdom teeth extraction, and orthodontic work, I completely dissociated. Problem for later.

 

And again… it's Later. 

 

The gum surgery is $11,000. Orthodontist is $5,000. Wisdom teeth, filling a few cavities, and periodontist visits bring us to the golden-ticket number of—you guessed it—$19,000. Or more. 

 

 

That $19,000 bill is more than enough money to completely devastate a family, and uproot their entire lifestyle. That number can quickly become an immense amount of debt. 

 

You could buy a car with that money. 

You could pay for an entire semester at a private college with that money.

You could pay Boston rent for six months (or more!) with that money. 

 

Or, if you're me, you could pay to fix your gums and teeth with that money, because you're a professional scaredy-cat. 

 

Eye roll.

 

 

But when I heard that I had to pay that bill? My initial response was a simple “Welp. Okay. That really sucks, but okay.”

 

Because I know I'm able to pay it. It's shitty, and not what I want to spend my money on (obviously), but I can do it. 

 

 

If I were still working my corporate job, paying off that dental debt would have taken me YEARS, even with the dental insurance that the 9-5 provided. That number was 38% of my ENTIRE SALARY. 

 

If I'd gotten this news a few years ago, I'd literally be a hillbilly with no teeth. 

 

There's not a single day that goes by that I don't praise Jesus Christ himself for all that I'm able to do thanks to this freelance career, but this situation? “Thankful” doesn't even begin to cover it.

 

Having the ability to straight up write a check for my gum surgery without going bankrupt over it? I feel SO lucky and grateful. 

 

Don't get it twisted—I'm not saying I'm Rockefeller by any means, or that privilege doesn't play a part in this—what I'm saying is that I can write this check, because I'm confident that I'll earn that money back soon. 

 

(And because I fund my emergency savings account, even when my impulse shopping addition begs me to do the opposite. This is the link to my high yield savings account, if I just reminded you that you should probably do the same.) 

 

 

Inside my upcoming online course, I'm teaching you how to create both, so you NEVER have to feel as nervous about the success of your business as I do sitting in the dentist's chair.  

 

Here's the link to the waitlist for Site Series™ - it launches in just a couple of weeks (!!!) right in time for some digital spring cleaning + a brand-spanking-new website revamp. 

 

You'll learn all about how to write your own website copy, AND how to get (the right) people to your site using FREE organic marketing strategies like blogging, SEO, and lead generation/email marketing. 

 

 

 

Chat on Tues!

xo, Sara

 

P.S. If you have dental anxiety, and you've been avoiding the dentist for half a decade or more… just go. I know I said this already, but it's worth saying again, in an attempt to potentially save you from making a really expensive mistake.  

 

I have arguably the worst dental anxiety in the entire world—like I said, I cry ON SIGHT of the dentist, just sitting in the waiting room—and even though it's scary, just going is a LOT better than dealing with what happens if you don't go. 

 

I'm learning that firsthand, and it's expensive as F. 

 

See your dentist. Or see your periodontist, and ask if you can use the laughing gas. It sucks, but it's better than bills (and getting your gums lazered off).