Hold Your Nose and Eat Your Broccoli

Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

In my family, I have a reputation for living by this motto when it comes to things that I don’t like to do. It’s usually simple tasks like making a phone call or putting my laundry away. I tend toward procrastination—or, more biblically—a selfish delaying of duty.

I think this flaw of mine bugs my sister Nicole the most. I have to say, she is the opposite of a procrastinator. She can get more done in a day than I can in a week. And when she is waiting on something from me (like she was recently) it’s almost more than she can bear.

So she jokingly offered me some advice. “Janelle, remember when we were little and Dad and Mom would make us eat our vegetables?” (Yes, I remember, terrible memories those are!) “We could either eat really slowly and gag our way through the process or we could just hold our nose and eat our broccoli. That’s what you need to do. Hold your nose and eat your broccoli. Hold your nose and put that laundry away. Hold your nose and make that phone call.”

We laughed really hard. But you know, the image stuck with me. Now when I’m faced with that unpleasant task, instead of putting it off and then slowly gagging my way through the unpleasant chore (nice picture there, huh?), I just try to hold my nose and eat my broccoli!

Today, with two loads of clean laundry waiting to be done, I have an immediate opportunity to apply my sister’s wisdom. Thanks, Nic!