Getting Through the Hardest Part of the First Month

There is usually a point during the first month when the excitement is gone.

The brace isn't new anymore.

The appointments are over.

The reality has settled in.

And you're left with a difficult thought.

I still have to keep doing this.

For many teens, this is the hardest part of the first month.

The beginning often comes with adrenaline.

You are focused on learning.

Focused on adjusting.

Focused on figuring things out.

Then a few weeks pass.

And suddenly the brace feels less like an event and more like everyday life.

That can be emotionally challenging.

Because now you're dealing with the routine.

The repetition.

The reality of wearing a brace day after day.

Some teens become frustrated during this stage.

Others become discouraged.

Some feel angry.

Some feel tired.

Many feel all of those emotions at different times.

What often makes this period difficult is that people around you may assume you're adjusted by now.

The brace is no longer brand new.

The big conversations have happened.

Life has moved on.

But you're still living it.

You're still wearing it.

You're still adjusting.

You're still doing the work.

That can feel lonely sometimes.

One thing that helps is understanding that this stage is normal.

In fact, it happens to many teens.

The first month isn't a straight line from difficult to easy.

There are ups and downs.

Good days and bad days.

Motivated days and frustrated days.

That's how adjustment works.

The important thing is not judging yourself for having difficult emotions.

You don't have to love your brace.

You don't have to feel positive all the time.

You don't have to be motivated every day.

You simply have to keep going.

One day at a time.

The teens who succeed with bracing are not the ones who feel motivated constantly.

They are the ones who continue even when motivation disappears.

And if you're reading this during a difficult week, remember something important.

You have already survived every hard brace day you've had so far.

You are still here.

You are still trying.

You are still moving forward.

That counts for a lot more than you may realize.