Speaking from experience, I was guilty of some of those statements myself. During that time in my life, I was overworked, underappreciated, burnt out, and unhappy.  No good to anyone, yet I kept trying to be everything to everyone. My pastor used to tell me, “Julie, you have many talents, but you can’t do it all and do it all with excellence” Instead of heading to his wisdom, I took it as a challenge to prove him wrong showing him my value as a staff member.  However, that led me right to ministry burnout.  

One exhausting night I picked up a book written by Lysa TerKeurst called “The Best Yes.”

This book was filled with information I already knew but chose to ignore. However, it opened my eyes to the significant impacted my choice made on my spiritual well-being by choosing not to change my behavior.

The simple lesson was the importance of saying no. 

We all have endless amounts of responsibilities; however, How and when they get to be executed matters. When we say yes to something, we are saying no to something else, so before we give our yes away, we need to ask ourselves what we are willing to sacrifice on that to-do list.

We want to live a life of peace and balance—no stress and chaos. So, before we give away our “yes,” hold it thru the filter of how will this impact my overall day and week? What am I sacrificing by taking this task on?  How will it affect my attitude, family, and well-being? If any of those answers are negative, you may want to reconsider your “yes” and be honest with yourself and the people around you.  Balance and boundaries are not something you find. It’s something you create. Be intentional with your time. It’s precious.  Making healthy boundaries in our life creates balance in our day-to-day routines.  It also shows others where the line ends and begins. It creates clarity, and people know what to expect from you.  It also prevents burnout and confusion. Now and then, we will have to make adjustments to our schedules, especially as the seasons change.  However, the truth remains the same.  Maintain a healthy lifestyle, and spiritual well-being starts with balance.

 As Lysa stated, “The decisions you make determine the schedule you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life that you live…”

 Let’s be women that live our best life and know our “Best Yes.”

Very few new my struggles as I wore false confidence and arrogance on my sleeve making up for my insecurities.   

Fast forward to my college years then adult life four kids later I was bigger than I ever wanted or imagined I would be weighing in just under three hundred pounds. 

I hated myself.  Cried every night, the feeling of disgust was all consuming.  I hated what I looked like and that I allowed myself to become that way.

One night I made a vow with tears in my eyes staring at my then newborn I would make healthier changes in my life and learn to love myself. 

If I could not love myself as God created me how could I show love to others including my children.  Worse how could I show my children to love who God created them to be. 

That was the night my weight loss journey began.  After years of trying and failing I had weight loss surgery.  At first, I felt like a failure.  I had been hitting the gym and changed my eating habits for almost 2 years and still couldn’t do it myself.

The recovery was awful, and I regrated it.  In physical pain, weak, hungry, and mentally spent I wondered why I willingly did this to myself.  After 4 months of recovery, I returned to CrossFit.

I made a promise to myself and my children I would be the best form of myself as I could, and I meant it.   Weeks and months passed, and I pushed myself to very limit possible.  Always setting a new goal to shatter.  Why? Because I COULD!!  Today I love myself. Not because I am just about at my pre baby weigh of child one.  But because I learned to love myself thru the messy process and ugly areas of life.  Because sometimes we need help to reach our goals and that’s ok.  Our failures don’t define us.  Because I know I am beautiful even with all the stretch marks my children left behind.  I love myself because God created me strong, driven, and with purpose and he has done the same for you.

Don’t sell yourself short or define yourself by past failures. Don’t allow someone else’s Ideals to be the standard you measure your worth. Life is to short embrace who you were meant to be and love yourself threw the process.