It is the times that you need yourself the most that they will be reaching for you. The time robbers. The dramatic friend. The needy co-worker. The unstable significant other. Oh, and the ever updating news feed on Facebook and Twitter. Just when you decide you need your space, your grace and your time, it won’t matter how descriptive the explanation you offer for your departure. The onset of your unavailability will cause needs to become numerous and people will begin the endless, selfish clawing at the space you have claimed for yourself, as if you are better off serving the world, while your own life deteriorates.
Still, stand tall and say no.
No one will ever work as hard for what you want, than you. No one will ever understand your passions and motivations and desires as well as you. Sure, they need you. More than they need you though, you need you. To do for you, you have to say no to them.
There will be times when the hardest thing in the world is to push out that one syllable word, but likely, those are the times you need to say it most.
Prepare for the guilt trips, the gut wrenching text messages, the accusations that you are cold and must not care. Prepare for people to pull out all the stops to get back some of the attention you have taken from them and applied to your own life. Prepare for so-called friends to have fits and acquaintances to judge you. Do not be moved by any of this. Focus on what you need, why you are taking the time in the first place, and develop it with the same fervor you’d give to the cares and causes of others.
Saying “no,” does not make you selfish or wrong. It does however, give you a sense of control of your time and your life that you deserve. Push through the pressure from friends, family and others, and take back your space by saying one of the shortest and most powerful words of all:
NO.
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I feel you, man. In my experience…..saying no isn’t as hard if the people you say it to love you no matter what.
The funny part about all the guilt trips you may get when saying no is that said person who couldn’t do without your presence or help will find a way to make it through the storm, thus empowering themselves in the process. I once read somewhere, that respecting someone is being able to accept that person’s right to say no… hope all is going well in your world.. piece and blessings..
You don’t know how timely this is… thank you!
Dope!! Definitely diggin this
Right on.
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