Saying No to Say Yes

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Edited to add: This is our New Year’s day post from 2015. I’m happy to say that 2015 was a wonderful year for us and huge part of that was me saying “no” to things that don’t really matter. There are many things in life that we cannot change, but how we respond to those things can either make them better or worse.

Happy New Year!!!

This week you’ll be seeing everyone’s New Year’s goals (no longer called resolutions) or their word for the New Year and what that word means to them in posts all over blogland and social media. You’ll read about how to make 2015 the best year ever and be inspired to do more in 2015.

Although I’ve posted goals in the past (it only took 3 years to get some of them accomplished 🙂 ) I’m not going to do that this year. And while I think it’s important to make goals and be inspired I also think it’s just as important to say “No.”

Maybe that’s my word, NO. I’m going to use it liberally in 2015…but I’m also going to say YES liberally in 2015.

You see, in order to say YES to the most important things, I need to say NO to less important things. So, this year, I’m saying NO to say YES.

Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.

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Here are some things I’m going to say YES to this year…
…more read alouds with my children – even the older ones

…a year long weather project with Esther

…late night movies with my husband and older boys

…time sitting in the swing outside just because -without making lists of work to be done

…learning more about the medicinal use of herbs, including growing my own, making extracts and using essential oils safely

…learning how to ferment food and consistently add it to our diets

…writing about what I love

…planning my day with margin

…simplifying my (and my children’s) things

…having a consistent family game night

…creating a morning routine that feeds my soul

…taking more photos of my older children

…listening to my readers (It would help if you answered these questions for me, but if you need to say “no” that’s fine.)

Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.
Saying NO to the the less important things gives you time to say YES the the most important things.

Here are some things I’m going to say NO to this year…

…thinking I must be doing something every moment of the day

…growing a social media platform

…worrying about pageviews and other esoteric definitions of a “successful” blogger

…writing about things I’m not passionate about

…extra sleep (on late night movie nights ;-))

…working fast (instead of enjoying the work)

…email clutter (I’m clicking that unsubscribe button instead of just deleting)

…hitting the floor running first thing in the morning

…chaos (from taking care of the urgent instead of the important)

So there you have it, my goals, resolutions, word for the year or whatever you want to call it. This year I’m saying “No” so I can say “Yes”!

Want to join me? In the comments you can fill in the blanks and inspire others to say “no” so they can say “yes” this year…

“This year I will say NO to _____________________ so I can say YES to __________________________.”

Join me in saying NO in 2015, so you can say YES!
Join me in saying NO in 2015, so you can say YES!

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

15 thoughts on “Saying No to Say Yes”

  1. As one who’s on a huge decluttering mission because elderly parent may be coming to live with us, I’m saying “no” to almost all new acquisitions so I can say “yes” to more comfortable living. Similarly, I’m saying “no” to lots of the stuff that has already followed me home so I can say yes to an easier to clean and more pleasant to live in home. Along with that, I’m saying “no” to opportunities to volunteer in the community so I can say “yes” to doing a good job with the responsibilities I currently have.

    Reply
  2. What a great resolution for the new year! This year I will say NO to toxic relationships (with people, food, technology, etc) so I can say YES to the things that serve me in a positive way. 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful 2015!

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  3. Angi, I always feel so connected to you. I love you with all my heart. So many of the things you said I had been saying to my husband and thinking in my own heart. Of course, the kids are gone now, but all the other things I was like, “She took the words out of my heart and spoke them.” Thank you for always being you. I too will be saying “No” so I can say “Yes”, especially to spiritual things.

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  4. This is perfect, Angi, and I am with you! I feel like I barely made it through 2014 and I can’t have another year with a permanent pit in my stomach from all the things I ‘have’ to be doing. 🙁 You’ve inspired me, though, and I have to ponder this a bit before I can list what I will say no to – I want it to be intentional, so I need to think and pray about it. Thank you for sharing your heart in this!

    Reply
  5. I love this, it’s so hard to not say yes yes yes to everything, I’m especially guilty of it with social commitments, we had a couple months where we honestly had 0 free time, and I think that time is so important, especially for a couple introverts like me and my fiancé. So this year I am saying NO to constant outings so I can say YES to quality time at home with my man and our fur babies!

    Reply
  6. Angi,

    This a great list! I have been thinking a lot about this very topic lately and I know that I need to start saying ‘no’ a whole lot more often. I need to cut some activities out of my life and have just been praying on which ones I need to cut. You have inspired me to actually write my no and yes list down. Thank you!

    Reply
    • You’re welcome, Charissa. It’s hard when there are so many good things you want to do. By the way,I’m loving the get out of debt posts you’ve been doing.

      Reply
      • I find that it is more the pressure of having to do certain things all the time to… impress someone (who knows who that would be), probably just expectations I have put on myself. It is time to break out the chopping block!

        Yay! I am glad you like my get out of debt posts, thanks for telling me that.

        Reply

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