Okay, I admit it I have a problem saying no to people. I love to help. It’s in my nature. Quite frankly, it’s in my DNA. I come from a long line of women who had a problem saying NO! Over-scheduling my life has always been the norm for me and unfortunately I have started to pass this trait on to my daughter. As we prepared her back pack this morning with her lunch, her basketball equipment for basketball camp, her hand wraps for her boxing lessons this afternoon, and a change of clothes for her baseball teams dinner tonight I stopped and told myself — this is a cycle that needs to be broken!

While it’s important to be active and to help others, I’ve decided it’s time to stop saying yes to others and it’s my time to find a balance that allows me the time to say yes to me!

So my dear friends, I’m asking for your forgiveness in advance when I say NO! I can’t make five dozen cupcakes for the Carnival at my kids school, and no I can’t possibly get my kids to an additional practice that begins at 4pm when I get off work at 6pm. Of course I want to meet the new parents at the PTA’s New Parent Orientation but I can’t attend the meeting. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend all of the great evening outings that my girlfriends plan and I’m dying to attend. “WHY?, ” people ask. I simply say because I AM EXHAUSTED an I need to listen to my body, and I am going to take time to nurture myself by SAYING YES TO ME!