the cost of saying yes too often
okay, i will admit, i am a people pleaser. though i do not like calling myself that, it feels true in many ways. maybe i would rather say i have empathy. but being like this, saying yes to anyone who comes my way with a favor, has drained me. i am mentally and emotionally exhausted. it has reached a point where my own tasks feel impossible to finish.
i have to own this burnout. it is the direct result of me not having boundaries. it is not about others taking too much, it is about me giving away what i did not have in the first place.
lately i have been learning that “no” is not rejection. it is self-preservation. protecting my time and energy may be the only way i can continue to show up with honesty and presence, instead of running on half-empty.
derek sivers once wrote about the idea of “hell yeah or no.” if it is not an enthusiastic yes, then it should be a no. that simple filter could save me from saying yes out of guilt or habit, and help me choose where i want to place my limited energy.
to improve this, i am committing to implement a few rules in my life:
- pause before saying yes, and check if it truly aligns with my priorities
- treat my own tasks with the same respect i give to others' requests
- allow myself to rest without guilt, knowing it makes me stronger, not weaker
- remind myself daily that boundaries are not walls, they are doors i choose to open or close
maybe learning to honor my own time is the kindest thing i can do for myself—and for everyone else too.
they say it right:
