The Power of saying "No."

We have been taught to say yes to everything.

Wedding invite..."Ill be there"

Birthday invite..." Count me in"

Company picnic... "Down for free food"

Sports Game... "Cant miss it"

After school kid activities... "I'm an active parent see you then"

... and the list goes on. So often we place things on our schedule that get in the way of the things we want. We make our schedule so busy we actually don't have the "time" to work on the goals we have.

Saying "No" helps us prioritize ourselves and helps us to set boundaries.

Here are a few tips to scheduling that can help you say "No" to the things that wont get you closer to your goals.

When invited to something- don't answer yes right away. Double check your schedule for that time. If you have more than 2 events scheduled in that month (Like 2 birthday parties or a party and a wedding) say No to anything else that comes up. Why? well... if you think about it... 2 parties in a month is already 6-8 hours dedicated to someone else. The time it takes to get ready, get a gift, drive, hangout, drive back, and unwind is all time not designated to things that are going to move you in the direction you want to go. This doesn't just apply to fitness... this can apply to relationships too. If your goal is to have a fun happy relationship with your spouse yet your so busy booking things for the next couple of weeks because you fail to review your schedule... guess what... your spouse looses out on that quality time... so your goal of fun and happy dwindles.

Also... if your invited to something... ask yourself today... would i want to go to it today? right now? If your answer is your too busy today or you have a lot of work right now then your answer should be "No" because you'll most likely be too busy in a few weeks. Even if you didn't want to attend today... then that means you wont want to attend in a few weeks. So use your current day as an outline for what your next couple weeks will feel like.

Remember your goal is not to be there for everyone else... your goal is to be there for yourself and your family first. Yes, there are times and places to to serve others and to attend some events... but not when your worn thin. Saying "No" helps with you reevaluating the things you want and aligns you on the path to your success. Just recognizing you don't have to say yes to everything is a HUGE step in working towards your personal goals. Remember, self communicating on evaluating your time empowers you.

Another trick to scheduling is asking yourself this questions:

Is this entertainment or moving me forward towards my goals?

Entertainment-think on it. Moving Forward- schedule it.

The best part about evaluating your agenda is the ability to say No to the things that aren't going to help you move forward in life. Now remember, there is a time for entertainment. The problem is most people say yes to everything and over book their schedule because entertainment is "enjoyable"-"relaxing"-and "well deserved" after a hard week... but reality is, entertainment whether its for you, your kids, or running around to appease everyone will only affect your time in the areas you need focus on and often rob you of the time to recharge.

So... ask yourself often> Is this entertainment or moving me forward towards my goals? and make your best decision.

Keep your boundaries strong and your mindset stronger!