Of all things, CHAPPED LIPS piqued my curiosity this week and affirmed THREE life lessons
Every now and then I find myself on a skincare deep dive. I follow a few dermatologists on social media but I’m actually not that girl that’s all about the glow up. Thankfully I haven’t had problematic skin (at least not the skin on my face) and no I don’t have an issue with chapped lips. But every now and then I feel compelled to check in, out of curiosity, in case my skincare routine needs an update. Per usual with the algorithm, watching one dermatology video begets another dermatology video and I found myself intrigued, actually perplexed by, of all things, chapped lips.
The common theme of the videos I watched this time around was how much dermatologists tout petroleum jelly aka Vaseline, or petrolatum based products for its effectiveness. It prevents the most water loss and repairs the skin barrier. It’s affordable and does not usually irritate the skin. It actually makes other skin treatments more effective when glazed on top because of how well it seals the treatment in the skin. Years ago I learned of its effectiveness and that revelation boosted my confidence with using it. But what was different this time was hearing multiple dermatologists sing its praises.
Which brings me to the first lesson!
Sticking to tried and true basics is usually the best way to go. We have a tendency to complicate things. Sometimes we get so caught up in the complexities of life that we really forget the basics. We mistake basic as cheap and ineffective. We’ve fallen for the “we get what we pay for” idea to the point that we forget basic means fundamental. We don’t realize that just about every elaborate solution can be broken down and traced back to the basics. No one is reinventing the wheel. They just dress it up differently and present it as something more elaborate than what it really is.
So yeah, everybody should have a tub of Vaseline at the ready to avoid chapped lips!! But I didn’t put fingers to keyboard to go on and on about petroleum jelly and rag on chapped lips. Though what perplexes me is the extent that chapped lips is a consistent dermatological problem. Of course there are some skin conditions that may overly dry out the lips but the cases these dermatologists described made me shake my head because the key to not having chapped lips is not some secret.
Which brings me to lesson two!
Very few things in life are a mystery. We tend to operate with a fundamental attribution error. Meaning if other people have what we want then it must be because of some special reason, circumstance or endowment from on high. We mistakenly believe the reason to be something mysterious or inaccessible to us when it is anything but. Our skin, including our lips, will dry out if we do not replenish the moisture. No more; no less. No one is gifted with moisturized skin. No one is gifted with a clean house. No one is gifted with fabulous hair. No one is gifted with a fit body.
There are no unicorns roaming around. Yet we become disappointed when the answer to how I keep a clean house is I clean it. We seem to be looking for short-cuts and work-arounds as if the straightforward answer is some type of myth. It’s not a myth. It’s not a mystery. It’s unavoidable effort that we put forth or outsource to someone else to do for us. There’s no bypassing the effort nor is it a one-time thing.
Which brings me to lesson three!
Discipline and consistency are the drivers of success. Showing up is usually half the battle. There are usually a bajillion remedies, products, and routines, with very little appreciable difference between them, for us to choose from. Any of them will work, if we work them. And that’s a big if. Billions of dollars worth of exercise equipment collect dust in our homes due to lack of use. Our cabinets and landfills are filled with products barely used or unopened all together. People don’t heal, both physically and emotionally, because they don’t follow through.
Years ago my father was very hesitant about having knee-replacement surgery because he heard several people complain that the surgery was a waste. I remember feeling at a loss about what to say to him to convince him to have the surgery that would eliminate his pain. Then it occurred to me to share a major insight I gathered from my numerous rounds as a physical therapy patient. I told him that it wouldn’t surprise me if those complaining didn’t follow-through on what they were supposed to do to bring about a successful recovery.
Because most PT offices have an open floor setup, I observed other patients and overheard therapists frustrated that their patients could be further along if they were disciplined and consistent in following their prescribed treatment plans. But folks won’t blame themselves for things not working out. They will blame the product, service, doctor, etc and lead other people astray with their opinions.
Thankfully that insight helped convince my dad to have the surgery and be a good patient by taking his rehabilitation seriously. Oddly enough what it takes to prevent a chronic condition, literal or metaphorical—chapped lips or otherwise, is chronic follow-through.
Onward with smiling, smooth lips and Harmonious Balance, my friends!
Johanna
**For customized content requests,1:1 coaching and/or speaking inquiries, feel free to contact me.**
We tend to over-complicate waaayyy too much! Vaseline has been and still is a tried + true staple of my everyday life...and it has to be that brand, though! Anything else, and my skin denies full access!