Monday Morning Milk (6/30/2025)

Good morning!

Every Monday I share some random thoughts as they arise. People seem to really like this weekly email.

I was curious to name it something besides “Thoughts” for fun.

And as I sat with it, divine intelligence popped up the word “milk,” among several others.

Besides my love for alliteration, "milk" puts a smile on my face. I picture pouring you a cup of milk to start the week off, or adding some to your favorite hot beverage in the morning.

So, here's your Monday Morning Milk (formerly known as Monday Morning Thoughts). What do you think?

Do let me know what resonates the most this week.

1. You are not meant to be small, hidden, protected, and fearful. You are meant to overcome and surpass those patterns of the mind and shine. You were made in the image of the Divine and you are meant to throw off the shackles that have kept you safe so far and shine your brilliant light on the world. Because the world does not need more constriction and judgment and darkness and fear. It needs more people who are shiny and light. The divine isn’t small like a candle, it’s enormous like the sun. Be the sun today, and radiate– intensely, electrically– on everything and everyone.

2. Some people won’t like your brightness. Some people won’t want to change. Some people won’t want to remember. They won’t want to get burned, or be energized, or shake up their beliefs. How they react is not under your control. Your job is to be fully you. What is it like? What’s it like to show up with energy and passion and clarity? Does it burn through the false? Does it reveal more of you?

3. Once in a while, inspiration hits. It can be a fleeting moment and get overshadowed by the next things that pop up in life. It can be drown out by distraction or overthinking. What if, instead of holding off, you acted on the inspiration right away?

4. Last week, I saw a returning patient I hadn’t seen in a few years. Her whole leg is locking up when she walks. Only when she walks. She’s had to see a bunch of specialists, neurologists, rule out conditions like MS and Parkinson’s, and see if it’s actually related to her partial hip replacement which never fully improved her gait or allowed her to run again. She used to do multiple hundred mile trail races a year. And is a natural athlete. She’s only 40. She also had a life-threatening artery tear randomly occur in the last 6 months. 

Fortunately, she responded really well to my treatment, and texted me later to say “it’s the best her hip and walking has been in a month.” 

Unfortunately, she’s still working out the differential diagnoses. And it’s been a long journey for her. 

Her story is a good reminder for us all to do what you can while you can. Don’t take your health, your movement, your life for granted. You just never know what setbacks may occur, or why they are occurring. 

You may know more when you look back from your future self, and see what it brought you. You can also look for those things now. Always. 

Whether you’re struggling with a setback or not. If you’re struggling with a hardship, look for the ways it’s teaching you and growing you. 

If you’re flowing, fully look for the ways you’re capable and able right now. And appreciate it all, including the simplicity yet opportunity of getting to do it.

5. On Saturday night, I got to do something I haven't done before: I toed the line for the Pearl Street Mile in downtown Boulder. It was an evening race. I got so nervous. It was hot. I had to warm up in a particular way so I’d be ready to roll… you know with my elder body these days, and for the Elite Master’s wave, which, in running, means people over age 40. All of which made me quite time-oriented. What will my race time be. How will I time everything properly to be well-prepared. What will my time mean about me. How will I face myself if I don’t run the way I want to run? 

Whew, when I look back, my mind really made the whole thing exhausting. Not just the race itself- which is supposed to be exhausting. 

But the main, most important thing I’m taking away is that: I. Got. To. Do. It. 

I got to race. 

As in, I am healthy enough and trained enough to race the mile. 

And there was a time.. many, in fact.. when I wasn't, and I couldn't. Hence this being my first ever Pearl Street Mile in the 13 years I've lived in Boulder.

I hadn’t raced the mile in maybe 10 years, so I was scared. Why? Habit. Performing. Being on stage. In an “elite” category. And all of my history with racing perhaps. But the truth is, no one cares about my time. 

And the greater truth is, it was such an opportunity to get to participate. 

This was evidenced by so many bonuses that showed up from my showing up. I finished second place master’s woman. Funnily, there were only 3 women who signed up for the master’s race. Boom. An extra win right there. I knew the first place woman- a super fast master’s stud- so it was fun to see her crush it again. And I made a new friend in the 3rd place woman. Isn’t running the best! My coach gave me a sweet team t-shirt. Our photographer friend snagged some incredible photos. I bumped into people I hadn’t seen in ages and met some new ones. So many bonuses. My race time (5:52) being but one small marker of training, and one piece of the whole bigger experience.

I got to do it Saturday. And I am so grateful. I did it for my younger self. And for my patients out there who can’t run or race right now but want to. This is for you. I’ve been there too. And things can change, improve, and get better. Keep working on it. Keep going. There is always time. (Or not, and it won’t matter. It’s a paradox, as most deep truths are).

6. The opposite of being a person who is time-bound, is being timeless. When you are in the flow, when you are doing something you love, or being with someone you love, (or heck even being someone you love), you don’t even notice time. When you live in the now, t i m e   e x p  a  N   D    S . .   ..    ..     .    .    .

7. What’s the one main thing you want to get done, feel, or accomplish today? What’s the teeniest tiniest first step you can take toward that end? What if you just did that tiny thing? What if that was all you did and that was enough? What if you did that tiny thing, and the momentum snow-balled, and then it felt amazing? Go do the tiny thing.

Have a brilliant day!

Lara “shiny and bright” Johnson

PS. Thirsty for more?

 Every Monday, I send a fresh pour of Monday Morning Milk—part personal, part professional, all heart.

 It’s one way I share the deeper truths I see in bodies, healing, and life.

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