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Hi, I'm Monica Packer from About Progress, and you're listening to The Messy Middle, a monthly series where I share some of my own messy middle so you can see what progress looks like for a real woman in real time.

We always begin the messy middle with the what's happening segment where I tell you what's been happening around the Packer household. September was hectic, just like I thought it was going

to be. At the end of my messy middle at the very beginning of September, I told you I don't know how

I'm going to be able to do all this. Well, it was a lot. But also, it was really a life-changing month, and I don't say that lightly.

That's in large part because I went on my pilgrimage to England, my pride and prejudice pilgrimage.

And I am joining you the morning after I returned home and jet lag is starting to set in.

I've got a giant Diet Dr. Pepper next to me, which I can

hardly ever drink because it usually means I can't sleep at night. But that's what I'm doing.

So I don't sleep right now. The lead up to this trip was a lot. And that's where I was like,

I don't know if I can do all of this. I had the more for moms conference to prep, which has

involved so, so much work, as well as prepping my episodes in advance, writing my book, getting the house and kids ready.

There were so many minute to big details to make that trip happen.

And I'm really proud of myself because what I ended up doing is letting a lot of things go.

I decided to not write my book until after I was

back and the conference was already. I decided I did not need to tear out my garden and harvest everything

I have or to can. That was one of the things on my list. I said I had to do all that. I decided I

didn't have to. I could do whatever I could, but I didn't have to.

...