#write31days | October 29
I wrote earlier this month about saying “no”, but the flip side of “no” is when to say “yes”. This is another area of my life I often find myself circling in prayer. In the big and the little things I choose to say “yes” to. I read Lysa Terkeurst’s book The Best Yes several years ago. I still go back to it (#doitagain) because there are several pages I’ve highlighted that are places to remind me why I choose when to say “yes” instead of always saying “yes”.
For example when thinking about keeping a commitment to yourself for 3.5 hours vs. going to something that takes up 3.5 hours and could be skipped/you wish you would have skipped:
“After all, remember the decisions you make determine the schedule you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life you live. And how you live your life determines how you spend your soul. Those 3.5 hours seem like a reasonable gift to give to your soul right now.” Lysa Terkeurst, pg. 27
Saying “yes” includes everything from the 1 hour agreement to the 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, or longer commitment. The 1 hour “yes” might not seem to need circling in prayer as much as deciding about the 1 year commitment. However, if the 1 hour “yes” is only because of guilt it might in fact require more circling than we think.
Saying “yes” to yourself and the thing you want to do, whether it takes 1 hour or 1 year is the 100% acceptable form of self care that we are usually first to put to the back burner. People need us. But, they also need us to be our best, so if that 1 hour you can say “yes” to for yourself makes you better for the rest of the week, IT IS WORTH IT. And, #doitagain next week. Guilt shouldn’t be attached to your “yes” for yourself which means “no” to something else for an hour. Be free of other’s expectations of how you should spend your time. They don’t need an explanation. (Except your spouse, they should know what you’re saying “no” and “yes” to and when it’s too much.)
2018 has brought a couple of good “yes” opportunities to my life.
Ones I have really circled in prayer.
Saying “yes” to a new job after 6+ weeks of uncertainty for it to work out.
Saying “yes” to giving someone my phone number.
Having protected uncommitted time has also allowed me to say “yes”:
to being able to show up when it mattered.
to keeping my word of doing what I said I was going to do.
to help out someone who needed it.
to have spontaneous time with people who matter most to me.
None of these things have out-weighed what I said “no” to. In fact, I haven’t even really considered what I’ve said “no” to that has allowed me the space for these “yeses”. I am most grateful for the discipline I’ve established to know I need protected uncommitted time. For the opportunity to say “yes”, and for it to be my best “yes”. And, to be able to #doitagain for my next best “yes”.
If you’re just joining in from #write31days, I’m so glad you’re here!
You can {click here} to find links for all posts in this series.