The Best Yes
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If you clicked on this post thinking I would be talking about mine and Nick's engagement, you're going to be disappointed. Don't worry, I'll be talking more about it, but for now, you can just read this post.
And if you clicked on this post, thinking I was going to talk about what a cute faux fur vest this is and 6 ways to style it, I apologize in advance. In all honesty, I had a completely different post to go with these pictures, but felt led to change my topic. Don't worry, I'll still post my original thoughts another day!
These pictures were taken in my parents' backyard, when I was home for Christmas. Family time gets more and more special as you get older, as time seems to slip away faster. And that my friends, leads me into today's thoughts...
I didn't want to ignore New Year's Resolutions completely, but I also didn't want to focus on them. I believe, that as a Christian, I have a new day every day. (Not that everyone doesn't have a new day. I believe that Jesus died to wipe away all my wrongdoings and I wake up each day with a clean slate) A new day to start goals and make better choices, not just on January 1st. You too have a new set of 24 hours each day and it is your choice what to do with them. I think there is too much pressure with NYR, which is why a lot of people end up failing after a month or two.
So, to be transparent, here are some of the goals I have been working on:
-Fitness. It's been a year since I began training for my half and I still can't run. (Read about my injury here) I finally got fed up with not being able to run and went to a sports medicine doctor, in early December of last year. Since then, I have been attending physical therapy and should have my last appointment next week. Yay! I'm still doing yoga, as I told y'all in my fitness life update, but if you follow me on Instagram, then you already know that ;) I have also started training with Dylan of RPT Dallas, to get me stronger and healthier, while also improving my diet. What up, veggies? Exercising truly makes me happy and when I hurt myself, I just kind of stopped, as it depressed me that I could no longer run. I'm so glad to be back in the game.
- Money. This year has kind of gotten off on a rough start - I've been sick, which means doctor visits, plus I had several annual appointments recently, in addition to physical therapy. I also am in a wedding this spring, and am planning my wedding for this fall. I'm trying to be really smart about it, but it's hard to eat healthy and buy cheap. My goal right now is to not make impulse buys. I honestly don't buy that much for myself, but love purchasing gifts for others, which isn't a horrible thing, but kind of needs to be reigned in. I did just splurge on these and these, but had been wanting them for a while and had a little Christmas money left. Before I buy something, I usually log on to look at my bank account and really think before making a purchase. I also need to save more; I kind of got out of habit.
-Time. Annnnd to the doozy. This is what I a have been working on for a while and I'm still not great at it. So, NY Resolution? Yes, but it's pretty much an every day resolution for me.
When Lysa TerKeurst released news of her book The Best Yes, I signed up for the pre-order list. I received it, and then it took me 6 months to "find time" to read it. I mean, is that a sign of YOU NEED THIS BOOK or what! TBY is a book about making wise decisions in the midst of endless demands...essentially choosing what is best for you and your schedule. I struggle with this, as I don't want to offend people, I don't want to miss out (aka FOMO), the reasons can go on and on. But, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.
Right now I am kind of stuck. I used to just say yes to everything and prayed it would all work out. This left me tired and stressed, but I thought it was worth it. Then, I tried saying no to more things, but that left me missing certain opportunities that could have been beneficial. Recently, I have been trying to say yes to more face time with others and taking care of my body (aka exercising and sleep) and putting things like cleaning my apartment and doing laundry off. My logic was that if something came up, I could always do those chores. Unfortunately, that stressed me out, as everything I put off, built up and took more time than it would have if I would have just done it when I needed to.
I spend most of my time with my fiance, Nick. He was out of town this weekend on a work trip, so I decided to buckle down and get things done. With a full time job, blogging, planning a wedding and trying to actually sleep at night, it gets rough. Not to mention that we just came out of the holiday rush. Finding my "best yes" isn't just a holiday issue, though. So, what do I do? I'm not sure, but I have faith that I'll figure it out. One of my better ways to accomplish things is to make a list and prioritize it from there, so this weekend, that is just what I did. I didn't leave my apartment, except to go to church and the grocery store. Here's a little more visibility into my life and what I do and don't have time for. I typed DONE next to tasks I actually completed.
To Do List for 1/9-1/10
-pluck my eyebrows DONE
-wear a face mask DONE
-do laundry (oops 2 weeks worth) DONE
-change the sheets on my bed DONE
-clean fan blades DONE
-clean and tidy up my apartment DONE
-ask my bridesmaids and house party DONE
-clean out my closet and wardrobe
-try on my wedding dress with accessories I bought
-do yoga
-stretch DONE
-take a walk
-go to the grocery store DONE
-meal prep for next week DONE
-edit pictures DONE
-schedule all blog posts for next week
-take down Christmas decorations DONE
-research honeymoon
-follow up with catering options
-go over timeline in the knot DONE
-pick out engagement photo outfits
-contact store about bridesmaid dresses
-make 2 sets of bow ties for clients
-submit our proposal to places DONE
-respond to blog comments DONE
-put up gallery wall
-update personal info
-delete old pictures from my iPhone
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As you can see, I didn't finish everything. Now I'm the type of person who get things done, but can only focus on what I didn't check off. Nick is always really good about helping focus on what I did accomplish. When I write everything down, it is easier to see what I did do. I am happy with what I completed this weekend, but I kind of wish I had one more day to get a liiiiittle more done. So, what does the best yes mean to to me and what can it mean for you?
In my personal life: Sometimes you have to skip a planned dinner or two, just to keep you sane. Last week I did this and it really helped. Do not overload your schedule! If you have to say no to someone or cancel, and they get mad at you for it, don't let it bring you down. They obviously don't have your best interest at heart. (Now if you cancel 15 minutes prior or just stand someone up, that's not right, but you catch my drift!)
In my blogging life: As a blogger you have a lot opportunities come your way. You do not have to, nor do you need to take all of them. I think it boils down to quality over quantity and staying true to your brand. I was recently offered a collaboration by a large TV corporation, but it didn't have much mutual benefit, nor was it a fit for my followers. It would have been cool to say I worked with them, but I think I would have hated myself in the process. You can do some things, but not everything. Don't feel bad for turning down a sponsorship or feeling the need to explain yourself. Think about it and just do you!
I think why "the best yes" is so hard for me, is because it makes me feel like I'm selfish or inconsiderate, when that's not the case. Can I be that way? Um, unfortunately yes; however, those characteristics don't drive the majority of my decisions. If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! I know it was a long one today, but I wrote it in case anyone struggles with this as well. Our society is a busy one, so hope I am able to inspire at least one person to start choosing their best yes.
Do you have a hard time with spending your time wisely? Did you make any New Year's Resolutions?
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