Learn to say no
This is a little excerpt from a book called Organizing Plain and Simple by Donna Smallin. I pick it up from time to time. I had saved this picture from a couple of years ago, but really find it relevant in the stage in which I currently am. I am in the middle of so much shifting and new opportunities. This means I need to sort through some habits and ways of thinking that are no longer working! My husband and I have just entered the “empty nest” phase of life which means “most of the time” empty. There is a certain ebb and flow with the college schedule, so they come and go and we just have to be ready!
It is interesting to read this excerpt again and it challenges me to be intentional in my “no’s.” I thought I would share it because I suspect a lot of people are in the same boat of change or transition.
I typically have a high capacity, so I find myself doing things just because I can. But what I notice is that I get restless or feel flaky when I am ready to be done with whatever that “thing” is. I like the idea of being thoughtful about “no” and learning how to make peace with “no." I have been in a long season of graduate school and am going to apply for a PhD, which will extend this student life. It is a very different life than I have lived before, so I have to be really careful with commitments and scheduling. I find that regularly, my calendar might look clear, but things come up either with family or school. That part is hard because I am pretty social but have had to adjust in this season due to lower capacity. I want to be available for the kids which means I have to have margin because they are in their twenties and that’s how they roll! I think this chapter is going to be good to revisit!
I hope this is helpful for you in whatever you find yourself doing these days or you can save it for later when you have need!!
