No. It’s a little word. And one that has a lot of power.

I see many people’s lives get out of balance because they are not able to practice using that little word. It can even be a struggle for me at times.

Look, we are of no use to anyone if our lives are completely out of balance. Saying no is something that can help you have more balance in your life.

If you are someone that is always on the go, on the move and going from point A to B without taking a breath, this teeny word will be of great use to you.

Often times people don’t say no because they don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, or look like a party-pooper. And then that person ends up feeling resentful, and run-down.

I know that women in general can struggle with this, especially because women are natural caretakers (Go ladies !)

Balancing Life with No

It’s super important to have balance in your life, and to find a happy medium between your Yin and Yang energy. I am someone who is very Yang-centric; always moving my body, always on the go, traveling and going from here to there. I enjoy this because my purpose is connected to moving, finding solutions and taking action. It works for me because I am so passionate about it.

It may not work well for someone else who needs a little more Yin in their life and doesn’t do well with constant movement and being on the go. You have to know your own personal energy balance and then put your focus there.

The balance between saying yes and no is an important component in this. I had a tremendous lack of balance in that sense when I was younger. I used to say NO all the time and mostly because I was not ready for the opportunities that were coming at me. Fear dictated this lack of balance for me.

You may find that you say yes more often than you want because you are worried about what someone else thinks or letting someone down, as I mentioned above. You need to know when to draw the line. If you are saying yes to things that leave you feeling resentful and you end up missing out on important things in your life, like your morning workout or time you scheduled in to take care of yourself, then it’s time to reevaluate.

Avoid Burnout

Bottom line, you don’t want to burn the candle at both ends and end up being a people pleaser who feels over extended and maxed out. It’s important to take care of yourself first and foremost because this is how other people in our life get the best of us.

So, the lesson here is this: Don’t say no when it comes from fear or laziness, therefore ruining your opportunities to say yes. Do say no when it comes from a need to take care of yourself, therefore increasing your opportunities to say yes.

Saying yes needs to be authentic and not forced. Saying no is the same. So start practicing that balance and checking in with yourself before you give any answer. Let your intuition be your guide.