Oops I did it again...
I said yes when I should have said no. I set a realistic timeline and stressed about it. I multi-tasked my way through the day with two titles - Business Owner and Senior Snack Coordinator.
There was probably a moment this week when you almost said it too, "Sure, I can do that."
What was it for you? Another meeting squeezed into an already impossible calendar? Volunteering for one more project because no one else stepped up? Answering emails at 9:30 p.m. because you didn't want anyone to think you weren't committed?
I can't speak for you, but I want to do all the things so I maximize each day and say silly things like "I'll sleep when I'm dead". If you feel guilty when you step down or say no because it feels like a reflection of your performance and your value as human... I see you.
Burnout or the feeling of constant overwhelm and second guessing does't happy because of one big decision. It happens because of hundreds of tiny moments where we ignore what we already know.
We know we're at capacity.
We know our priorities are shifting.
We know we're exhausted.
And yet...we say yes anyway.
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that saying no would make us look less capable, less committed, or less deserving of the opportunities we've worked so hard to earn.
I invite you to flip the script with me. Boundaries aren't selfish. They're a leadership skill.
The leaders who sustain high performance over years, not just seasons, aren't the ones who say yes to everything.
They're the ones who know what deserves a yes.
The rest gets a respectful no.
Think about the person in your office who was promoted and your first reaction was frustration because you worked harder, answered late night emails, and delivered more stuff.
I'm happy to hear from you if you totally disagree, but most of the time that person took time to build specific relationships and allies in the organization, showed what they were capable of upward ,and said no to specific tasks that were lower priority.
Now before you toilet paper my house and troll me, please know that I recognize that the work has to get done and not everyone can do just the high level relationship building and can say no to core functions of their job. All I am saying is instead of getting mad, look at the patterns and see what they did to see if you can swipe a play from their playbook.
Try the calendar audit:
Build 1 hour per week to look ahead 10-14 days. This will allow you to see the bigger picture of your schedule. You'll be able to assess work and personal to intentionally build in time for connection, energy protection, a workout or even 10 minutes of silence.
Zoom Out to Zoom In
Try the one recurring commitment challenge:
Choose just one recurring commitment and ask yourself:
If this were presented to me today, would I say yes?
Is this aligned with my priorities for this season?
Does this require me to regularly sacrifice my health, relationships, or peace to keep doing it?
Am I doing it because it matters or because it's become expected?
Sometimes the most freeing decision isn't adding something new.
It's releasing something you've quietly outgrown. This could be something tangible like what is on your calendar, or it could be something like a limiting belief or a habit you've ignored.
Crazy or true?
Live Empowered,
Stephanie
Sometimes the hardest part of success isn’t working harder or changing who you are to please others, it’s making the right next decision. The Success Circle is where we share ideas and perspectives to help you think clearer, decide faster, and move forward with confidence. Use SUCCESS20 for a discount on your first month.
