Whining, Wine-ing & Winning

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

How often do I say “no” to things that would interfere with my goals?

Honestly… pretty often. And not always for some deep, inspirational reason either. Sometimes it’s just knowing myself. I’m a homebody. I like my space. I like my people in small, controlled doses.

There was a time I thought saying no made me lazy or antisocial, like I wasn’t showing up enough. Like I should be doing more, going more places, saying yes just to prove I could. The truth is, every time I say yes to something that drains me, I end up showing up as a watered-down version of myself anyway…so what’s the point?

Nowadays I’m better at recognizing the difference between things that actually matter and things that just feel like obligations, but those aren’t quite the same. If it takes me away from time with my husband and my daughter, if it messes with the routines that keep my life feeling sane, if I’m already planning my exit before I even get there… it’s probably a no.

I can fake being a people person when I need to. I can smile, chat, participate, all of it. If I’m being honest, I’d rather be at home in joggers, no makeup, hanging out with my family, saying things we probably shouldn’t out loud and actually enjoying myself. That’s the version of me that feels real.

There’s a lot of pressure to say yes so we don’t disappoint people. Constantly saying yes to everyone else is a fast way to start disappointing yourself. So no… I don’t say yes to everything. I say no a lot…and I’m finally okay with that. Protecting your peace, your time, and your energy counts as showing up too.

So with that being said, it’s glorious outside, and I won’t be saying no to my daughter asking to go “slide and swing.” I’ll be at the park pretending I don’t have a to-do list instead. These are cherishable moments, and a nice day in Kansas deserves it… especially since the bipolar beast might drop an early spring snowmageddon if I don’t take advantage.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by. Wine-d down if you’d like, and enjoy the life where it’s okay to say no and live your best life.