Own Your Yes

Yes is one of those words that can start to feel automatic to us. Yes to every task, yes to every thought spiral in our heads. Yes to every request for our time and energy. It's good to welcome things into our life with a yes. But it's also important to give ourselves time to think about what we are committing to. To make sure we're not just saying yes out of fear of disappointing someone. You can take time with your yes, and when you do, it can make it easier for those around you to know your boundaries. So next time someone comes to you with an ask, try making it a three second yes. Take three seconds before saying yes to reflect on whether you really can take this on or not. You can ask yourself, "Do I really have the time? "Is this worth a yes? "And what is my gut telling me?" The extra pause lets you check in with yourself and get to know how you feel. When you make your three second yes your go-to mode of answering, it'll be become easier to set boundaries and to feel confident about how you spend your time. The three second yes is also a useful tool when used with a deep breath. A breath to check in and decide. Let's practice what it means to use breath work as a way of checking in right now. Get yourself in a comfy position. And gently close your eyes if you can. Take a deep breath into your belly and let it out as slowly as you can. Feel your body melt. Scan yourself from head to toe. Where is there tension? As you find it, release it. I'll give you some time. Now, let's take some breaths through the nose for a few cycles. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. For this next breath, notice your exhale. See if you can extend it further. In. Out. And now, as you notice how this felt in your body, see if you can extend it a couple counts further. In. Out. One more. In. Out. Keep going on your own for a few more breaths through the nose. See if you can extend the exhale each time. No need to force anything. If you feel discomfort, ease up. Just see how much you can slow your exhale down. Notice how this makes your body feel as you go. Nice work. Bring your breath back to a regular pace now Check in with what you need to feel your best today. What's your body telling you? What's coming up in your mind? When we offer ourselves a breath and a moment to check in, we get better at taking care of ourselves. We let go of the need to people please, because we know that we're prioritizing what's best for us. Repeat this after me, either out loud or in your head. I reflect before I say yes. I...