In life and among Friends I have often fallen into the trap of saying 'Yes' to too many things. I have been so happy to be asked that I have often taken on too much and have sometimes become overwhelmed and failed to fulfill my obligations.
For a long time my remedy for this condition was to learn to say 'No', to pause for thought before I made any commitment and to look honestly at what I could manage and at the direction I felt my Inward Guide to be pushing me in.
So far, so good. But now I am looking at the whole question again in a different way. In a new place and learning to fit in to a new community I began by holding back, not wanting to appear to push myself forward. Opportunities arose and I began saying 'Yes' again but, more importantly, I have decided to go forward in a positive way. From now on I will look for the 'Yes' I can say, however small that 'Yes' may be, and stop worrying about saying 'No' sometimes.
Some people seem to give out signals that you shouldn't even ask them and so avoid having to say'Yes'or'No'. But I seem to give out the opposite signals. I try, and often fail, to do those things I have taken on as wellas I can and with a good grace. However, this seems to result in being asked to do more things. I think I have to sit a bit more light to being liked for being useful.
ReplyDeleteOh, I've been ever so guilty of saying 'Yes' too many times! And at times being told by others, in the past, not to take on another project or job. It's difficult many times to have to say 'No' but I've been learning the last couple of years to do just that and try and do it with grace.
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