Saying No

One of the most significant factors in my level of anxiety/stress throughout the year (but especially the school year) is my inability to say "no."

A friend of mine made a post of Facebook about chronic stress and how to overcome it. Some of the tips included making time to meditate, work out, eat healthy, and spend time with loved ones -- all of which are truly helpful ways to overcome stress during busy times in your life. However, there was one tip that stuck out to me more so than the others: "Just say no."

Sound pretty easy, and for a lot of people, it is. Some people were born with the ability to prioritize and discern how much they can or cannot handle. Aaaaand then there are some people who were not. I am one of those people.

I love saying yes to people. I love knowing that someone trusted me enough to ask me to do something and I love knowing that I am capable of fulfilling the task. But most of all, I REALLY love doing the things I commit to. I teach music classes, lead worship, help in coordinating music lessons for homeless children, and get to be involved in awesome organizations that work towards the growth of knowledge through music, among other things. I am a part of some truly amazing things, and I love doing them all.

And that's where my problem comes in -- how do I say no to any of those things? How can I possibly give up anything that makes such a different in the lives of people?

I have said "yes" to too many things this year, and I have learned so much about myself in doing so. I have realized that I would much rather do a few things well than several things at 50%. I currently may be involved in tons of wonderful organizations, but the fact that I am only able invest myself partially in any one of them is not only exhausting to keep up with, but much less fulfilling for me.

This coming year, I may be faced with a lot of amazing opportunities to be a part of some great groups, organizations, and possibly even jobs, but I know that I will also need to make the tough decision to say no to a few of them. Saying no will be a good thing for me to learn -- not only will I find more fulfillment in what I do, but I know that I will be a stronger asset to the organizations I commit fully to.