We throw around the word busy with pride, as if it were a direct correlation to our level of success. We wear invisible #TeamNoSleep and #TeamTwoJobs badges like a Girl or Boy Scout merit badge. Some of us have become enslaved to accolades and the grinder mentality. While some of us are, indeed, busting our behinds to build empires and make a name for ourselves in pursuit of success, we are collectively abusing the word yes without acknowledgment of the potential repercussion of our personal health.
Many of us are stretched thin and forced to be everything for everybody while failing to be what we need for ourselves.
They say the hustle is sold separately, and while the boss mentality is admirable, someone needs to remind us that we are our own most important ongoing project.
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Bouncing from job, to gig, to networking event, to balancing freelancing, to family gatherings, to cocktails with your girls, to only seeing your home between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. - something has got to give.
It shouldn’t be your sanity.
‘No’ is quite possibly the healthiest word in the dictionary and needs to be worked into everyone’s daily vocabulary.
No can be used as a full sentence and does not require further explanation or background information.
It can also be used as frequently as you desire, and in a plethora of scenarios.
Saying no is the idea of understanding that this one thing could weigh you down like a Thanksgiving feast on a Styrofoam plate.
Saying no means knowing that no matter how rigorous your goals are, you can’t get there if you wear yourself out before realizing them.
It’s realizing that self-care is thee priority and should not have to be made a priority.
Get comfortable saying no to others and yes to yourself.
Say yes to that paid time off, yes to that vacation you never thought you’d have enough time to slow down to take, and say yes to everything that you’ve always wanted to do for yourself, but constantly had to work around your responsibilities.
Reward yourself for all that you’ve accomplished by learning how to use the healthiest word in the dictionary: No.