Do you really need ‘all the things?’

Always a planner, even as a young girl, this year started no differently. Although, that soon changed as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. It’s required a shifting—or pivoting—in plans and priorities, goals and mindsets. Some changes have been tough to swallow, while others serve to illustrate that our self-imposed schedules could benefit from extra “white space” for self-care and self-reflection. Personally, I’ve learned I don’t “need” everything I once thought necessary. For example, it turns out I don’t need to practice yoga in a heated room. Although I miss my tribe of Bikram practitioners, I’m content doing my own thing on my own time. And, as much as I coveted my monthly #selfcare of acupuncture and facials, I’ve discovered a coconut mask that, when used weekly, hydrates and brightens. Admittedly, it does require greater discipline for me to continue an at-home #selfcare and exercise regimen, but the time (and money) savings have been worth the effort.

What “luxuries” have you learned to do without?

Saying “no” to ourselves

[Image credit: pakorn]

In my post Guilt-free living, I talk about granting ourselves permission to say “no” without feeling guilty.  In that blog I talk about being okay when we turn down requests from others.  But what about those self-imposed tasks we create for ourselves?  On Thanksgiving Eve, I planned on attending a special church service.  After an early dismissal from work, I ran a couple of errands, came home and started laundry and prepared a homemade pie for the weekend.  I was also still recovering from a week and a half of crud so not feeling overly ambitious.  When it was time for church, I made the “executive” decision to lay low.  I felt that one more commitment would be one too many.  So I said “no” to my expectations, puttered around the house, played Words With Friends and prepared for the next day.  It’s new for me, but I’m learning how to be okay even when I say no to myself.

How do you say “no” without feeling guilty?