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This week, I heard someone say "prolong" when they meant to say "postpone."
It was something like, "You could just prolong it until next week." And I was like, wait a minute... Postpone: to cause or arrange for (something) to take place at a time later than that first scheduled. Prolong: to extend the duration of. The difference here is subtle, but PROFOUND. She was talking about putting something off. Doing it later. But what she said actually meant extending it. Dragging it out. The reason I can't quite remember the context here is because my brain was like 🤯. Everything you're postponing, you're actually prolonging. I do this with - among other things - dentist appointments (can I get an AMEN?). I *think* I'm just postponing the unpleasantness of it. Like, eh, I'll worry about that later. The thing is, just because I'm not consciously worried about it doesn't mean I'm not subconsciously worried about it. In fact, postponing anything just means I've buried it. It's still there, running in the background, slowing down my processing ability like allllll those extra browser tabs open on my desktop or notifications of software waiting to update. And WHY would I want to prolong that? Not only is it there in the background of my subconscious, stressing me out in ways I don't even realize, but every once in awhile I remember that I still haven't made the appointment and I get a surge of anxiety in the pit of my stomach. Instead of just making one unpleasant appointment -- "unpleasant" being 100% a reflection of my THOUGHTS, by the way -- I'm making it last so... ...much... ...longer. By the way, those prolonged tasks don't simply turn into fleeting feelings. There are real things -- unhealthy things -- happening in your brain and gut when you stress yourself out like that. And then you're confused when you're crabby, anxious, fearful, fatigued, or mysteriously ill. Just me? What are you prolonging? Monica
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I'm full-time breastfeeding a five-month-old. A week ago, my supply started dropping. Like, almost disappearing. Having never experienced this with my older child, I panicked.
My brain said, YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION! START GOOGLING! "You need this kind of seed and that kind of tea and no more mints and, and, AND....!!!" (Spoiler alert: You don't need more.) I was looking for a Magic Pill. The perfect herb, supplement, trick... to restore milk production. My husband suggested I call my midwife and I resisted. Why was I resisting? Because I already knew I wasn't doing the most basic thing: Drinking water. Basic things are simple. Obvious. And so underrated. (By the way, all those articles I read said "make sure you're drinking lots of water" and I was like yeah yeah water whatever I NEED SOMETHING MORE.) The moment I realized this - that I already knew the answer but had undervalued it - I started downing water like it was an olympic sport. That night my baby slept better than he had in a long time because his belly was full. Because his mama is a gold-medalist in Water Drinking. Stop looking for a Magic Pill to solve your problems. If you're looking for THE THING to help you lose weight, have you stopped eating processed food and sugar? If you're looking for THE THING to increase your energy, have you been getting enough sleep? If you're looking for THE THING to improve your mood, have you been exercising or moving your body in any way? If you're not doing the basic, simple, boring STUFF YOU ALREADY KNOW, then a Magic Pill isn't what you need. Now go drink some water. See you next week! Monica Did you TRY to put your pants on this morning?
No. Unless you're a child, new to the task - unless you have cognitive physical limitations that make getting dressed more difficult - you didn't even think about it. You just did it. Whatever else you're "trying" to do, stop. Stop overcomplicating. Stop indulging in confusion. Stop trying. Nike was right. Just do it. Have an awesome week! Monica I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person. I often do nothing when I can't [or won't make the time to] do a lot. But an all-or-nothing mindset misses out on the power of one.
One is not twice as much as zero. It’s not a hundred times more than zero. Compared to zero, one is everything. One is active. One gets you in the game. One is the difference between existing and not existing. BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. Dramatic much? (Who, me?) BUT SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT IT. The difference between one and one million is closer than the difference between nothing and one. You can't multiply nothing. Nothing comes from nothing. So start with ONE. One elimination from your diet. One minute of meditation. One hour of focused work. One day of vacation. A multivitamin. A sun salutation. A deep breath. Get rid of one thing. Organize one drawer. Read one article. If you can't do a lot, do one. And tell me about it. See you next week! Monica |
AuthorMonica Gill is a life coach and image consultant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Archives
December 2019
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