Well-Being

7 Questions You Should Ask Before Saying No to Yourself

I’ve learned that when I said ‘no’ to myself, I was doing more harm than good.
bridgette-petrino

bridgette-petrino

3 Min Read

What is self-care and is it really necessary?

Self-care is nourishing your mind, body, and soul in a gentle, no-judgment, forgiving way.

Ultimately, your self-care depends upon what fills YOU up, and that can look different for everyone.

But, here are a few examples of self-care:

  • Reading a few pages of a book while sipping a cup of tea.
  • Practicing yoga.
  • Waking up early and reflecting or meditating.
  • Doing something that you enjoy doing for fun.
  • Going on a walk.
  • Making yourself a healthy meal.

And, here are a few examples of what self-care isn’t:

  • Forcing yourself to workout when you are injured or aren’t feeling well.
  • Helping others when you are the one who needs a break.
  • Sitting down to read a book, but feeling guilty because you should be doing something productive instead.
  • Scrolling through social media, news articles, or emails.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

7 questions you should ask yourself before saying no to yourself

  1. Am I saying no because that’s easier?
  2. Am I saying no because I think I don’t deserve it?
  3. Am I saying no because I am avoiding my problems?
  4. Am I saying no because changing is harder than staying the same?
  5. Am I saying no because I’d rather complain than take action?
  6. Am I saying no because I feel guilty saying yes?
  7. Am I saying no because I say I don’t think that I have the time?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might want to start a self-care routine.

Give yourself permission to say yes to YOU

The reason I can tell you about this is because I am completely guilty of neglecting myself. When I became a mom, I stopped taking time for myself. That eventually led to me having a breakdown.

Now, I’ve learned that when I said “no” to me, I was doing more harm than good.

When I finally learned how to start saying yes to myself again a lot of things happened.

  • I became less stressed.
  • I became more confident and less anxious.
  • My kids became more confident and less anxious.
  • My marriage got stronger.
  • Overwhelm and exhaustion no longer rules my life.
  • I am accepting of myself.

So, make yourself a priority again. Because you can’t give what you don’t have.

Remember, self-care does not need to be complicated, or even take a long time or cost a lot of money. It’s simply putting YOU first again. And, that’s okay. Actually, it’s necessary.

So, leave me a comment below and tell me, how do you take time for yourself?

PS — Have you taken the Brave & Bold Challenge yet? Your life is waiting.

Originally published at medium.com