On Saying No More Often

I'm a fan of Clinique on Facebook and they posted this today: Happy Thought: Say “no” sometimes & you’ll feel happier. Don’t over commit yourself—leave time in your schedule to relax & be spontaneous.
 

It was a happy thought and it made me smile. Back in January I made a resolution to say no more often.  Most of the time, my commitments don't stem from someone directly asking me to be involved, I normally offer to help. I think it's polite to offer assistance and frankly, it's just in my nature. This resolution has been a hard one for me. There has been some guilt involved. I don't want to seem impolite, like a bad friend, like I don't care and I certainly have a hard time sitting back and watching when I know I can help. Again, it's just who I am.
 
The reality is that, although hard, this resolution is a good one for me. I often put a lot of pressure on myself to be a good wife, mother, friend, worker, encourager, etc. I like doing those things; it makes me happy to see other people happy. The bad part is that I'm disappointed when those actions aren't reciprocated. But, it's unfair of me to push my expectations on to other people. And, in doing so, I'm probably not being a very good friend after all.
 
So, I've done a lot of things differently this year. It's a growing process for me; I've certainly had a few stumbles. But, getting back to the quote, I've been MUCH happier in the process. I do feel like I've had time to relax, read books and focus my energy on things that are very important to me and my family. And, I say "no" a lot more.
 
- S