15 Helpful Phrases For Saying "No!"

I was taught from a very early age to be a people pleaser. I think many of us are, however, it is not always a healthy thing for us to live our lives pleasing others. When taking care of ourselves we often have to or need to say, "No" but it can be difficult, especially when we are caught off guard.

Selfcare And Self Respect: Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Some days are harder than others. Some days we barely feel like we have time to breath, let alone take a moment for ourselves.
Some days we are struggling to just accomplish our list of MUST do's, let alone do one more thing or want for anyone, including ourselves.

Some days our budget is stretched so thin there is not even one cent left for what we need, let alone what we want. A massage is lovely-if you have the money to spare!

If you don't, know you are not alone.
You are not the only one without a spare thin dime.
You are not the only one who cannot breathe until all the "things are done."
You are not the only one who forgot to eat in your rush to "do it all."
You are not the only one that cannot even begin to think of what you need to do for anyone, including yourself.

These are the days that you feel overwhelmed, unappreciated and often like you are just not enough.

Oh, but you are; you are enough.

Instead of focusing on what you need, want or cannot get to, acknowledge all that you DO get done; all that has come up that day or week or even month. Acknowledge that you are enough, because if you were to get everything on that growing list of obligations you would need an assistant, a cook, a maid, a nurse, a babysitter, a pet sitter and a team of landscapers to get everything you want done and finished. Acknowledge yourself and that you are doing the best that you can each day.

I like to use "I did it lists" rather than "to do" lists. It flips things around and shows you what you have accomplished.

Recognizing, acknowledging, appreciating and  the world and yourself as you are right in this 
moment is self-care. On a daily basis offer yourself the deepest respect for what you have done, what you do each day and for what you give. Even on those days when it feels like you can't do one more thing remember to take part in this practice.

In practicing self-respect, (which is the most important part of self-care that ever was, is or ever shall be) you recognize and honor all that you do, even when it feels like it is not enough. 

That is enough. That is self-care.