“Quotes in Action” – Day 23

Part of living an organized life involves removing unnecessary complexity. This involves the critical first step of identifying priorities for our time, space, and resources. Correspondingly, the second aspect of this process requires that we then eliminate items, responsibilities, activities, and expenses that do not align with our individual goals. In order to do this, we need to embrace today’s quote:

“The verbal expression of simplicity is ‘No Thanks.’ “ ~ Kim John Payne

Saying “no” can be difficult for many reasons: we hate to let people down, we want to avoid conflict, we like to be helpful, we think we can do more than we can, etc. However, saying no is an absolutely critical component to an organized life, even if we are only saying no to ourselves.

The start of a new year is a good time to strengthen your “No” muscle. Here are some things you might want to say no to this year:

• Worrying about things you cannot control
• Taking on a volunteer position that you don’t really like
• Attending social events that you would rather decline
• Giving in when others pressure you to comply
• Taking on extra work without extra compensation
• Eating/drinking things that you know are making you feel lousy
• Holding onto physical objects for the wrong reasons (the right reasons are you use it, you need it, you love it)

These are just a few examples, and the list of possibilities is endless.

When you want to say no, remember the suggestion from this quote. A simple, “No thanks,” spoken with respect to another or out loud to yourself, is all that is required. If someone pushes back, you know it is more about them than it is about you.

What will you say “no” to today or this week?