Get more time for yourself by not being "always" available
As an empathetic person, it’s normal to want to help others.
And being “available” for others is fine, as long as it doesn’t steal the time you need for yourself.
The problem with not knowing how to say no is that:
- You lose your energy
- You lose your peace
- You lose respect for yourself
If you commit to doing things you don’t feel like doing, you give your energy to others and end up with none left for yourself.
You have the right to say no.
That is an act of love and respect for yourself.
To make it easy for you to do so in less than 5 minutes, I have prepared a guide with 3 foolproof steps to help you recover many of the hours you give to others.
Many people want to make you believe that “saying no” or “setting boundaries” means “you are a selfish person who only thinks of yourself.”
And I ask you:
Is that true?
I bet not.
It’s almost the “opposite.”
You are so considerate that you “almost always” say yes to others and their requests.
The therapist I trained with in Gestalt Therapy always said:
A yes to another is a no to yourself.
I am an empathetic person and I know how difficult it can be sometimes to set boundaries or say no.
Especially to those you care about.
But I’m not telling you to start saying no to everything from now on.
I’m telling you to say no to what you don’t feel like doing and say yes to yourself.
In the guide I have written, you will see:
–The subtle formula for saying no without feeling guilty. In step 1, you will learn to decline requests gently and respectfully. You will see the sense of relief you will experience by prioritizing your own needs.
–How to establish your priorities and reclaim your time with an effective phrase. When you say that phrase, you will reinforce respect for your time and ensure that others do the same.
–Break the tendency to please by choosing “something different.” I explain this in step 2. And use the “no” that frees you and may surprise others. You will see this in step 3.
–How rigidity in setting boundaries can turn against you. Discover the dangers of an inflexible stance and learn to avoid misunderstandings. In this way, you will achieve a balance between protecting your boundaries and having healthy relationships.
Depending on your comfort level and experience, you can start with the step that best suits you.
- If you have never said “no” before, step 1 is a good starting point to build your confidence.
- If you already have some experience setting boundaries, you can move directly to step 2 or even step 3, depending on how ready you feel.