Saying No

-

 



Saying no is not my forte.  But, this week I've had to start making some hard choices.  I was asked to join a hiring committee.  I know we're short staffed and need to staff the committee, but I just don't have anything else to give.  Teaching 6 classes, multiple committees, planning a wedding, planning a celebration of life, and multiple other projects and to-do's have me simply overwhelmed.  It's even gotten to the point where my stress is showing up in random hives.  Whenever your mental health starts impacting your physical health, that's never a good sign.  And I ignored previous warning signs that things were getting out of control.  So, here I am.  

I know I'm not the only one who is dealing with high levels of stress.  Life can be challenging in its day-to-day changes and situations.  One thing a lot of us keep forgetting about, though, is that we're also in the middle of a pandemic.  I'll say it a bit louder - WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC.  As much as we'd all love to return to a pre-2020 way of life and blow off what's going on, that's not something that's actually possible right now. Instead, we're dealing with the added pressures and stresses of dealing with Covid, protecting ourselves from it, or protecting those we love from it.  For some, that even means higher levels of isolation and feelings of loneliness.  And, while this is all normal given the situation, it does take its toll.

For me - that means this week I have to embrace the word "no".  It doesn't need a follow-up or an explanation.  No is perfectly fine all by itself.  It doesn't have to be mean, and it's doesn't mean you're not a team player.  It simply means no.  No, I can't.  No, I won't.  I'm sorry I don't currently have the bandwidth to take on anymore.  Thank you for asking me. but I cannot serve at this time.  No.  And, saying no to one thing allows us to say yes to another.  For me this week, I'll be saying no to things on my to-do list that can wait another week and to adding on anything else.  And, this means I can say yes to taking better care of myself and to being there for my loved ones while we say goodbye to our brother this week.  Some things take priority.  And, it's important to not let the trials and tribulations of everyday life make us forget this.  Sadly - it's taken hives for me to remember that.  But, every day and every second is a chance to do better - another chance to start anew.

Take care of yourselves this week.  And remember - "You can't pour from an empty cup."



*Image taken from Facebook page titled "Sun Gazing" on July 30, 2021: https://www.facebook.com/sungazing


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keeping Perspective

-
Image
  Welcome back from Spring Break! If you're like me, it was way too short.  About the time I started finding my center and remembering to breathe, it was ending.  But, just because break is ending doesn't mean our perspectives should shift.  What perspective were you able to find during break?  I remembered that it's better for me (and my students) if I put self-care first.   How long did that perspective last?  About 5 minutes.  Actually, it would have lasted about that long, but I ended up scheduling an early lunch with a friend that I've been out of touch with during the pandemic.  Normally I dive head first into work and knock out as much as possible on Mondays.  But, with an early lunch planned, I only got a few things done before having to leave to make the date. And, it was the best thing that could have happened.  I had a leisurely lunch for about 2 hours and then returned fresh to deal with my to do list.  I'm now very...
Read more

Stressed....? Who's stressed????

-
Image
  So, I don't know about ya'll, but this semester is already off to a rocky start.  Instead of jumping into a brand new semester and academic year full of energy, hope, and excitement I've spent the last two weeks simply trying to breathe.  This is by far not the best time for a major asthma episode, and it has thrown everything into chaos.  Add in issues with the bookstore, late add's to classes, and all of the usual fun and fanfare that a new academic year brings... and, I'm exhausted.  And, I'm betting I'm not the only one struggling to get things on track.  So, I thought the best thing to do for today is to remember a few things that can help while we're in survival mode: 1) A fresh start is always available.  - If things didn't go as planned, use the afternoon to breathe and regroup.  And, start again fresh in the morning.  You don't even have to wait until tomorrow morning.  You can start fresh with your next deep breath. 2) Go slo...
Read more

Acceptance

-
Image
  Today I rediscovered my yoga practice after more than 6 months off the mat.  Was it what I wanted it to be? No. My body doesn't want to move into the positions it previously found easily.  My butt was in the air for child's pose rather than resting on my heels.  And, rather than being a long energetic practice filled with heat and movement, I chose to do a brief yin practice filled with slow floor poses and gentle stretches.  As I laid in savasana (resting pose) at the end of my practice, a thought entered my head - Acceptance.  Today was all about letting go of control and accepting where I am now, right in this moment.   Accepting the present moment can be challenging.  I find this to be especially true when I'm super-stressed or simply in a competitive mode.  At these times I'm reminded of what one of my favorite yoga teachers used to say in class whenever he saw us pushing too hard: "Yoga is not a competition - not even with yourself." ...
Read more