Yes or No? Lay down the guilt in your choice!
Share
Have you been seeing all the posts about "NO"vember going around? It's an interesting concept, one that I'm sure many of us need as a reminder that is, in fact, okay to say no sometimes.
When faced with the choice to say yes or no, what is your gut reaction?
Are you pleasing people, pleasing God, or pleasing yourself?
Perhaps it is a mixture of all the above. In our desire to do good, be loved, and remain happy, we likely put ourselves last. But, what if you could put yourself first and still do good, be loved, and BE happy?
When we say no, it is usually accompanied by guilt - either self inflicted or induced by the party we said no to. No is a boundary. It's a hard and firm line in the sand that has you on one side and the other person on the other side. If they aren't used to you saying no, the first few times you say it, you'll likely have push back. Don't bend at the first sign of pushback. Be firm in your decision.
Say no to what robs you of your peace by saying yes to what fulfills your peace.
When you say no to something, the balance to that is to say yes to something else that fulfills your peace.
Here are some things that you can start saying yes to now:
- Spending more time with God
- Taking time for yourself to recharge
- Putting your health first
- Doing something that brings you joy
- Encouraging a friend or loved one in a time of need
- Helping when and where you can and are able to only
- Making new memories
- Playing with an animal
- Sitting outside in silence
- Reading a book just because
The point is - say yes or say no, but whatever you pick, say it because you want to.
With Grace, Shonda