Untangling knots and cannots

Tiny words can be huge levers.

For example, when your to-do list morphs into a not-getting-done list, your self-talk can turn on you and become a tangled knot of negativity around the word “can’t”.

“I’m not getting the important stuff done” becomes “I can’t do important stuff.” And, the knot gets cinched even tighter when the narrative shifts to, “I’m not enough.”

The irony is you can begin untangling those knots of negativity with another tiny word:

“Try.” As in, try something different:

Set a timer and knock out as many tiny tasks as possible.

Call a friend and ask about their problems if you’re tired of yours.

Take a long walk.

Write about what’s most important and why.

We all get stuck now and then. The point is to watch your words carefully — even the tiny ones.