This is a newer saying to add to my list of pearls of wisdom from others. Bryce told it to me last year. I was always saying "YES" to people. Can you do this? YES,OK. Can you come to this event? OK, YES I CAN. And then I was finding that I was getting too "S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-D" and not having any real quality time to enjoy being. It's hard to say "NO". I feel like I owe someone an explanation for why I am being so ungenerous with my time. I'm still working on some plain "NO's" without needing an explanation. But I have found on the occasions where I have said "NO", I have felt a little empowered. Like I have made the choice of whether to or whether not to and have reclaimed a little bit of time for me. But it is not easy. I wonder if there is this hinged sense of guilt that I am not obliging others. I keep repeating this pearl of wisdom when I am being bombarded with requests, especially in the workplace. I think sometimes if you say YES all the time, people take you for granted. The occasional "NO" spells out, "this person is not a doormat. They make choices" and that's got to be a good thing.
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