When we start out in the world of freelancing, fresh-faced and eager to please, we become ‘yes’ monkeys. It’s what gets us that meeting, wins us that job, and impresses that MD. It’s what comes out of our mouths, wide-eyed and bushy tailed, before we’ve even spent a millisecond questioning whether or not we actually want to say yes.
The same goes for life in general: you want to please people, so you say yes; you don’t want to come across as selfish, so you say yes; you’ll feel guilty if you don’t say yes… so you say yes.
The result?
A strung-out people-pleaser who has sacrificed their own wellbeing one too many times!
The cure?
Listen to your inner wisdom and, if it’s squirming for you to retreat, say ‘no’. A big, fat, confident ‘NO’!
How do you know when something isn’t right?
It’s pretty simple – if the thing you’re saying yes to is draining all your resources and making you feel tired, depleted and demotivated, it’s time you let it go. Only when you let it go will you be open to the myriad of positive opportunities that await you.
The trick is to reengage with yourself on a deeper, more soulful level
Listen to your gut instinct and trust that it’s got your best interests at heart; these ‘best interests’ are far more important than financial reward or notoriety; they’re your psychological and physical wellbeing – your happiness.
By staying true to your inner wisdom and saying ‘no’ to things that threaten your lust for life, you’ll experience a sense of alignment within yourself that will, in turn, boost your happiness, energy and productivity.
You may even notice your health improves – there’s nothing the lurgy likes more than an emotionally and physically sapped people-pleaser.
Why not have a think about all the things in your life that you’ve been saying yes to, despite knowing deep down they’re not making you happy. Once you’ve unearthed the culprits, you just need to muster up the energy and conviction to put your foot down, once and for all.