“God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” - Hebrews 6:10 When you are dedicated to helping others, it can be easy to spread yourself too thin. I could be completely drained, overworked, and consumed in all of my responsibilities, but I would still say yes to adding more obligations to my list. Although initially my yes was backed by a genuine and joyful heart, as time went on those emotions turned into bitterness. I've been frustrated with the fact that I would go above and beyond to do favors for other people, but when I asked for one nobody did the same. There were times that I would change my schedule, sacrifice time for myself, and neglect my academic obligations to do a favor for a friend. However, I've slowly started to realize that everyone around me knew how to say no but myself. Are you consistently putting others before yourself? Do you find yourself making constant sacrifices and not seeing the fruit of your work? Well, I’ve been there before, and I still struggle with this battle daily. I’m here to tell you that the problem with saying no stems from within. You may find it hard to put yourself first or fear disappointment from your friends, family, or even your boss. But, I want you to know that just because you say yes to everything/everyone, does not mean you are being helpful. This past school year, I learned a lot about time management and how important it is to take some time out of the day for myself and quiet time with the Lord. At the beginning of the semester, I made those two things a priority and they were implemented into my daily routine. I would set aside time every morning to pour all of my concerns, prayers, and stresses into my journal and then watch a sermon. However, as the semester went on I started filling my schedule until I was doing something at every moment of the day. Whether it was a work obligation, time with friends, or committing to extra-academic activities; I said yes to everything. I knew I was overworking my body, but I was so committed to helping everyone else I overlooked it. Suddenly, I was so exhausted that my quiet time turned into extra time to sleep and I was canceling obligations last minute because I overcommitted. I would pray for the Lord to take control of my schedule because an overwhelmed feeling consumed me every day. My anxiety started to increase, and I desperately wanted my quiet time back. While the Lord was trying to clear off my plate, I was self- sabotaging by adding more onto it. I couldn’t be still long enough to rekindle the connection that dwindled as I spent less and less time with Him. It took my anxiety reaching the most intense level it ever has to realize that always saying yes was an unhealthy way to live and something needed to change. Saying no is okay and it is necessary to prevent burnout. The Lord didn’t call us to please people, so we should not be afraid of disappointing someone by saying no. If your plate is just too full, your overwhelmed, or you just want to reserve some quiet time for yourself and God; it is okay to say no! Those who care about you will understand and it is better to say no versus backing out of the commitment last minute. The Lord will not be disappointed because you said no to your best friend, coworker, or family member. Instead of trying to help everyone with everything, pray that He sends someone in replacement of you to meet the need of that person. Your relationships will not end because you start making yourself and your relationship with God a priority. To all of the hustlers, grinders, pure-hearted people, hand workers, and more; it is okay to say no, the Lord will bring a yes! Xoxo, Girl with Grace