MS symptoms: Monkey Off Your Back

monkey-on-parrot-back

What does it mean to take the monkey off your back? In my world it means accepting responsibility for someone else’s task or obligation. It is easily done. “I’ll check into that for you,” saying “Yes” when you really need to say “No”, any conversation that ends with the other person relieved of doing something because I have accepted responsibility. With MS, I must have self-control, know my limitations, be honest with myself and others, and simply say “No” to tasks I can not or should not do. To accomplish this effectively one must recognize the habit of taking the monkey off someone’s back, analyze how that happens, learn new ways to assist people in need without doing the work for them, and grasping the concept one of my students shared – saying “No” to you means a “Yes” to me.

Image from: http://honjii.wordpress.com/2011/02/

About the Author

Melissa Cook
Melissa Cook is the author of www.MSsymptoms.me. As a retired high school teacher and school district administrator, she chooses to share her MS story in hopes of benefiting others.