(Estimated reading time 3 minutes)

In moving forward, a no has as much power as a yes.
In the past years, I had come to believe that saying no is all about being small, staying static, not opening oneself to possibility and not being willing to explore one’s potential. In part, that comes from a history where “no” always came too easily. “Yes” was a word filled with the anxiety and uncertainty of the unknown. In wanting to propel myself forward this past year I have focused almost entirely on goals and dreams – to become a writer, public speaker, coach and get my international social work degree accredited here in Canada. I focused with fervour on all the yeses I needed to move forward. I’m well on the way on all these fronts. Embracing the possibility of something new is powerful in creating momentum, but there is a point at which one must also look at intentionally choosing what one is saying no to. It’s the “no” that crystalizes good intentions. It’s the “no” that anchors possibilities.
In part, it’s about saying no to things that are good but will steal time from what is most important. It’s about creating space for what is not yet but will become. It’s about being so committed to making your dream a reality that you make the room in your life for it as if it already exists. It’s not only about saying no to specific actions or activities. It is also about identifying those parts of yourself that are holding you back and choosing to take a stand against them. One might say no to fear of failure or no to self-doubt. Perhaps you need to say no to the belief that you are not worth it or not enough. Find your limiting self-belief and take a stand against it, because saying no has as much power as saying yes. It’s the “no” that takes you from the hopeful, hesitant land of intention into the powerful, focused reality of commitment.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back.” ― William H. Murray