Saying "Yes"

Saying "no" to something in your life immediately means that you are saying yes to something else. I have always believed that. Actually, my whole life is built on that belief. Saying "no" to things I thought I wanted, as allowed me to say yes to the best things for my life, including authentic friendships, a career path I adore, and a wonderful and loving husband.

For many people, including myself for a very long time, felt uncomfortable saying "no". I would often sacrifice my comfort or happiness to keep others satisfied. It hurt me and drained me and I knew that staying in those situations was keeping me from living my true and glorious potential.

When I first starting dating Isaac, people that were very close to me, and who's opinions weighed heavily, thought that I should let go of the relationship and focus on other things. When I was debating going to Midwifery school, instead of Nursing school, I received a lot of discouraging advice and those close to me thought I would be more secure in Nursing. 

Now I am not here to roast anyone, but I realized something that(at least so far) has truly saved my life. People that you love will say or do anything to protect you, BUT, they also are trying to protect themselves. The risks that you may want to take to improve your life or increase your understanding, may not be the same risks they would want to take for themselves so as a result, they project that fear onto you. Some of it may come from their own personal experiences, which though they are valid for them, it isn't your reality. Most of us do not like being uncomfortable. Most of us don't want to see our loved ones hurt or disappointed, so we stop them. We tell them not to do something or encourage them to do something that would make us feel safe. But the truth is, IT IS NOT ABOUT US. It isn't about us and what we would feel safest doing, it is about the other person and their path (which could look different from our own) and trusting that they are also striving for happiness and success. I have been called out quite a bit for projecting my fears onto the people that I love. I am grateful for those that made me aware and helped me see their point of view. 

Going against the status quo can be hard. It can be lonely. You may be doing something that nobody in your circle or community has ever done and that's ok. You are creating a path for yourself and others. Mistakes will be made, but through that, you gain wisdom and understanding.

Remember that just because not everyone can see your vision, doesn't mean there is no vision. Trust yourself and your path. I promise you, it's worth it!

xoxo, C.