Learning to Say Yes

yes

Most people have a hard time saying No.
I have a hard time saying yes.

Once I realized this, I could see it everywhere. Especially in my home life.

Don’t play in the mud.
Don’t get dirty.
Don’t walk in the kitchen with those shoes on!
Don’t push your sister in her car at break neck speed!
Don’t shout!
Don’t make that annoying noise anymore!

Perhaps those aren’t necessarily yes/no moments. But it is still a form of saying no. My motivation is to shut something down.

I feel like so much of my life lately, has been about stopping things. Putting up limitations. To the point that I know it’s not healthy for any of us.

I’ve heard about those T.V. shows, books, and movie plot lines about the people who have to say “Yes” to everything. Upon pondering such a mindset I began to see that taking up such a goal for myself could be one of the best things I could do for me and my family right now.

Saying yes, doesn’t have to mean that I allow myself to be controlled by others or walked upon. Saying yes, means that I look for possibility.

Saying yes means I look for a way for something to work.

Saying yes means I look for ways that everyone can win.

And perhaps best of all,

Saying yes to my kids, is training ground for saying yes to myself.

Yes, I can exercise today.
Yes, I can ask for help.
Yes, I can make the effort to schedule a babysitter for a date night or girls night.
Yes, I can make dinner.
Yes, I can take a few hours for myself.
Yes, I can read the book that is waiting for me on my table.
Yes, I can choose to be happy.
Yes, I can forgive.
Yes, I can try again and do better.

Today starts my Ten Days of Yes.

I can do a goal for ten days right??
I’m curious to see what happens.

Want to join in?

bwselfie Brooke Snow delights in the pursuit of a meaningful life. Sign up for her FREE e course “Living A Thriving Life” to learn more about how to find true balance in your life. Brooke lives in Northern Utah with her calm husband, adventurous 5 year old son and bouncy baby girl.

6 Responses

  1. That’s actually one of my favorite parenting tips, to find a way to say “yes.” So instead of saying “No, you can’t have the cookie” you could say, “Yes, you can have the cookie as soon as you eat lunch” or “yes you can play with friends as soon as your room is clean” etc. It’s so funny how the majority of the “no’s” we dish out everyday are really just a conditional yes, or can be a positive redirect of something they CAN do instead (like “shoes belong by the door!” instead of “get those dirty shoes out of the kitchen!”). This post was a good reminder!

    1. Yes! You’re so right Marcie! I’ve heard that parenting advice before too, but thinking of it terms of finding a way to say yes to things has really helped me. Already things are going better 🙂

  2. I struggle SO BADLY with this! I feel like I am always saying no to Paige! But I love the concept of “saying yes means looking for possibility” in a situation. I’m going to try this out and see how much it positively impacts my relationship with my daughter, and myself.

    1. Aubrey! I do the same thing!! I’m going to try hard and see if I can “relax” 😉 and find a way to make my response into a yes. It’s going to take me some practice 🙂 Good luck to you too!

  3. Thank you for sharing!This is something I work on as well – so we can enjoy life as a family more, so I feel free to enjoy the moment instead of worrying about what else we need to do. 🙂

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