Do you over commit to things in the moment but then when the time comes you wake up dreading the day? As human beings, as mothers, fathers, friends, daughters, sons, and spouses, we have commitments to our relationships and to getting certain things in our lives done. We also need time for ourselves. If you were to look at your calendar. If you were to look at your upcoming week or month – are you excited, are you ok with it or are you DREADING it?
Dread isn’t dire, but it is an indication you need a new direction.
Get Back on Track and Recommit to Yourself!
New Direction
You can start over! If you can, cancel what you are dreading and commit to yourself again by putting boundaries around your time.
If you can’t get out of something, write a note to yourself and put it where you can read it every day about not overcommitting in the future. Finish up with whatever you said you would do and then, promise yourself you won’t do it again.
Remember, you have your own life to live and life goes by very, very quickly. If you spend all of your time committing to other people’s dreams and purposes, or even their responsibilities, you will burn out and won’t get to the things you want to do.
When you extract yourself from too many commitments, you may find yourself in need of a restoration period. That means take it easy and be gentle on yourself. Maybe you make no personal plans, you just want to be free to just be.
Words to Keep You On Track
Here are some words you can begin to say to people when they ask for your help, to volunteer, for yet another favor and you are already busting at the seams from your own life busy-ness:
“As much as I wish I could help you (or participate, or lend a hand) I just can’t say yes to anymore commitments for the time being (or right now or at this time) because if I did say yes, I’d probably end up having to cancel on you and I would feel awful about that. Thank you for thinking of me and good luck in finding someone else.”
We aren’t meant to do everything. You are meant to do “yourthing.” And even though it’s not a word, consider that we all have gifts and talents and passions in our very unique areas. If we say yes to something we are fine with but not great with, instead of saying yes to it, think about it this way. When you say no to something, you are actually leaving space for someone who might really love what you don’t and providing an opportunity for them instead.
Take inventory of your priorities and how you like to spend your downtime and then commit to that. As much as possible, everything else must be a no. XOXO
Written by : Tara McIntosh
