Say no. Given that our time on this earth is limited and there are only 24 hours in a day, every Yes is a No to something else. Be conscious of what you are saying No to when you say Yes. Look at the Big Rocks, work on First Things First (7 Habits of Highly Effective People). Know YOUR life plan, your goals, your dreams; prioritize them. And remember “No.” is a complete sentence. At times it may take courage to stand up for ourselves, set boundaries and carve out the space we need to be our best selves but it is vital that we do so for it is a sign of healthy self-esteem. Affirmation: “My Sense of Self is Anchored Deep Within, from that Flows Wonderful Peace.”

Be Brutally Honest…Inside yourself: Folks, we adopt many roles and avoid many topics and truths as we interact with others in life. In general, this can be a good thing. We must choose our battles and many things are best left unsaid or are not helpful or timely to address. BUT always be honest with yourself, tell yourself no lies. You may not wish to deal with certain things BUT always acknowledge them and their impact/influence on you. You cannot navigate well through life if your map is inaccurate or has significant blank areas: here roam dragons!

Release As Necessary. It has been said that much of our unhappiness comes from our attachments and our unwillingness to release them when the time comes, i.e. accept that which we cannot change. There are many nuances here: what can we change/impact? And even if we can, how much time/effort/energy is it worth? How do we define “when the time comes” or “as necessary”? Suffice to say being willing and knowing we have the power within us to release is an important life management skill. The necessity to release applies to physical possessions, relationships and to thoughts. You may not always be able to completely control the thoughts that come to mind but you can certainly control the thoughts that stay in mind.

Closing Quotes:

“Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough.” – Josh Billings, 1818-1885, pen name of humorist Henry Wheeler Shaw

“Focusing is about saying no.” – Steve Jobs

“Although honesty is said to be the best policy, when it comes to ourselves, it is often the hardest. The truth may hurt, but fooling yourself will enslave you.” – Charles F. Glassman

“I tell lies somewhere else, but not here, not in front of myself.” – Robert Walser, 1878-1956, Swiss author, quote is from his novel “Jakob von Gunten”

“You can never be true to others, if you keep on lying to yourself.” –  Gift Gugu Mona

“All life is change. Release your attachment to the way things have been and wind your way joyfully through life’s unfolding majesty.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier