Say No So That You Can Say Yes To A Better Life

You know that feeling - the one where you suddenly realize that you said yes to something that you really did NOT want to do?

When you get that pit of nervousness in your stomach as you wonder how in the world you will have time for the new project you just said yes to. . . with everything else on your plate.

Or when you resent the fact that you have to miss supper with your family or work on the weekend to get done that last-minute request that came in.

You wonder WHY you keep saying yes to these things when you know it just leads to more . . .

Stress. Frustration. Resentment. And OVERWHELM.

Sound familiar? I get it.

Now there will be times we have to do things that we don’t want to do – that is a fact of life.

And there are often times we genuinely want to say yes to someone or something, even though we know we have too much already on the go.

BUT, to be strategic and protect your time and energy, you must start to get clearer on what really matters, notice the trade-offs and be FAR more mindful of what you decide to say yes and no to . . .

And say "no" a whole lot more!

You can then avoid overcommitting and more easily turn down the volume on the guilt by focusing on what you're saying yes to instead, which we talked about in this blog post.

"We love saying Yes. We find it hard to say No. And it turns out saying a clear and kind No is one of the secrets to a better life." - Michael Bungay Stanier

On a deeper level, what is going on – and what I find with most of the clients I work with (and what I experienced myself) – is they make these decisions totally unaware of the unconscious thoughts at play.

They make these choices from a place of guilt, comparison, unworthiness, worry about what people think, or a need to please.

And they don't even realize that this is what's driving them or influencing their actions . . . and keeping them stuck in the daily grind.

(This is all happening in your mind, by the way).

So, if you’re tired of having your internal need to prove yourself or people-pleasing patterns overload your day . . .

If you want to do the work that will lead you to feel confident in yourself in a way that has others respect your boundaries and decisions . . .

If you’re ready to stop feeling so overwhelmed, guilty and scattered with where you spend your time and energy . . .

If you want to experience that better life you deep down desire with more peace, joy and focus . . .

And learn how to say “no” with more confidence and ease. Starting with cleaning up that internal dialogue and mindset.

Let's have a chat to see if The Balanced Leader™ 4-month personalized coaching program is right for you.

Send me an email to let me know a question on your mind or book a call here.

Whatever you choose to do, have the courage starting today to say no more.

Your future self will thank you for it!

All my best,

What Next?

Wherever you are on your journey, I'm here to support you in the way that works best for you!

1. Discover how professionals who have it all - great life balance AND high performance - operate behind the scenes. Hint, to have it all you have to stop doing it all! Click here to access this free training.

2. If you want to take control of your workload, balance your life and be your best at work and at home (even with all the demands and messiness of everyday life), book a complimentary call and we can see if The Balanced Leader™️ is right for YOU. 

3. I also offer speaking presentations, workshops and coaching programs to support leaders and teams in creating more balance, less stress and high performance. Book a complimentary call or contact me here to discuss bringing this in for your organization.

4. Follow me on your favorite social media platform whether it's LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook for ideas, inspiration and real-life lessons.  I hang out mostly on LinkedIn!

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.