‘Yes’, it is a problem…

Have you heard someone who has said, “Just say yes”? There are movies that are all about just saying yes like, Yes Day, Yes Man, and Just Say Yes. I’m sure if I were to scour the internet I would be able to find other titles that state the same thing.

I’m not saying that you should just flip the tables upside down, barricade the doors, and say “NO” to everything. I do believe that there has been a distorted view of what saying yes looks like and personally, I believe it is a root cause of stress, anxiety, and depression in a lot of already overworked and overtasked individuals and families.

Do you want to take that interview? Yes.

Do you want to take this free certification course? Yes.

Do you want to sign your kids up for these free after-school programs? Sure.

There’s this book you have to absolutely read, I’ll email you the link on where to get it. Ok.

There is a workshop going on and I promise, you are not going to want to miss it. I’m there, count me in.

Do you find yourself multitasking everything? Maybe you are sitting on the couch, folding laundry, binge-watching your new favorite tv series, and taking bites of dinner in between. Does the phone ring while you are doing this?

Saying “yes” can be a powerful process and can open many doors for you and your family. Before saying yes, take time to think about it. What are the implications that it will have on you and your family? In order to find that balance in life, you have to make deliberate decisions about what yes is for you.

How do you know? First, find a roadmap on what it is you want out of life. Is there passion, is there a purpose? Does what you are potentially saying yes to, fill either one of those buckets? If it doesn’t, then it might be something that is nice to have, but not a necessity in your life…at this time. There is a key.

Just because you say those four words, “Not at this time,” does not mean that you are disregarding the opportunity altogether. It means you are prioritizing what opportunities you take.

I like to look at it like a car traveling down a road. If you were traveling down the highway and you took every turn (opportunity) that was presented to you, then you might get to where you are going, but it could take you a lot longer. It could generate large amounts of stress and anxiety because you might get lost along the route and forget which direction you need to go (no GPS in this analogy). However, if you have pre-mapped your travel, you are able to take both determined turns and educated turns, should a detour arise in your pathway.

There should always be room for yes in your life, but sometimes there is not, and it’s OK. We all go through periods where our schedules are slammed, and then they are open, but, keep in mind, there are blessings that come from that schedule being open and it allows us the ability to reflect and ensure we are on the path that we have chosen to be on, not one that has been directed or dictated by outside entities.