by Melissa Steginus | Featured Contributor
Imagine a world where you have more time and more energy. You’re not always on the go. You’re less stressed. You’ve still got things to do, but you’re able to do the things that are important to you.
Sounds pretty great, huh? Yes?
Well, no, actually.
That’s right—I said no. And I think you need to start saying “no” too. A lot.
There’s a time and a place for “yes,” but it’s often overused. It’s time you started harnessing the power of “no.”
Let’s talk about what it looks like.
What do you say “yes” to?
Roles and responsibilities, yes. Scheduled meetings and appointments, yes. Projects, clients, obligations, events, overtime—yes, yes, and more yes!
We think we can do it all. Even if we can’t do it all, we’ll sure try!
We try to do it all until we burn out and are unable to do anything.
We stop for a while to recover. Then we jump back on the horse at full speed at try to do it all again.
What do you need to say “no” to?
It’s time to stop trying to be superheroes. It’s time to do our best at what we can do rather than digging ourselves into a hole while we try to tackle everything at once.
It’s time for a healthy dose of saying, “N-O.”
Saying “no” to unimportant stuff frees you up to invest your time and energy into important stuff.
Can I get a “Hell yeah!”?
In his book, Anything You Want, Derek Sivers emphasizes avoiding “yes.” His suggestion? “If you’re not saying ‘hell yeah’ about something, say ‘no.’”
What’s your “hell yeah!”?
Do you have a “hell yeah” or two that’s been sitting on the back burner for too long? How are you going to change that? How can you shift your focus to prioritize the things that really excite you
Start by setting boundaries. Then prioritize your boundaries.
Saying “no” to anything that isn’t a priority means saying “yes” to yourself and what’s important to you.
Actually, no, it means saying “hell yeah” to yourself!
Stop trying to please everyone. Stop neglecting your wants, needs, and dreams.
Say “no” to the unimportant stuff so you can say “hell yeah!” to the right stuff. Your right stuff.
So say it again, ya’ll.
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Melissa Steginus is a writer and yoga teacher with a background in social work and a desire to help people live their potential.
A woman of many curiosities, she’s spent the past five years balancing roles in community support and facilitation, behavioural therapy, business operations assistance, content coordination, and more!
Throughout this constant ebb and flow, her purpose has remained the same: to help others live holistically fulfilling lives through connection, exploration, self-awareness, and personal development.
Melissa is now confidently (and with a sigh of relief!) settling into a full-time writing career. She’s also thrilled to be working on her first book, which centers on empowering entrepreneurs through self-care.
When she’s not at her keyboard, you can find Melissa hiking, climbing, and exploring her home on the Canadian west coast.
Melissa Steginus is a mindfulness teacher and productivity coach helping people structure their work and lives to be intentional, empowering, and fulfilling. With a background in social work and over a decade of experience as a counsellor, coach, yoga instructor, and world traveller, Melissa has helped thousands of people transform their personal and professional lives through her workshops, classes, online courses, and individual sessions. Now living blissfully on the west coast of Canada, Melissa develops and teaches workshops on mindfulness and stress reduction for clinicians, entrepreneurs, and students of all ages.
You can find out more, and sign up for her newsletter at melissasteginus.com.
