Just Say NO

At the beginning of 2023, I decided to start saying no more often. No, to projects that weren’t moving the needle in my business and growing our community. No, to distractions and diversions in my day that took me away from how I wanted to spend my time. No, to people-pleasing.

I remember the moment I made the decision. I was sitting at my desk, reading an email that asked me to speak at an event unrelated to Virtual Assistance. It was a perfectly reasonable request and one that I had said yes to many times in the past.

I could feel a disconnect in the pit of my stomach when I read this email. So, I gave it some more thought before answering.

And that’s when I realized it was time to start saying no more often. At first, it felt selfish, and that was very uncomfortable. But then I realized that saying no would allow me to say yes to more important things.

As I replied to the email declining the request, I immediately felt a weight lifted that I didn’t even know I was carrying.

I’ve learned that your impact expands when you choose what you allow into your life and where you give your time. This happens for two reasons: you’re no longer on auto-pilot, and you are focused on what matters to you.

This is a significant mindset shift. To be successful, you’ll need to get clear on what you’re trying to accomplish and why it’s important to you.

In my case, building my VA business RocketGirl Solutions, attending networking events, meeting fellow entrepreneurs, and spreading the word about my business were the most important uses of my time. By doing this consistently, I could provide for Emily and stop struggling.

Painting my office and organizing my digital files are not good uses of my time if having a thriving VA business is the goal. While those activities feel productive, it’s easy to see the disconnect once the goal is clear.

Many fears keep us from stepping into action toward our goals: Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of the unknown, fear of the what-ifs, and fear of what other people will think. I’ve seen from experience that if you listen to the fear and allow it to make decisions in your life, the fear will grow.

Action quiets fear. Plain and simple. You can’t think yourself into business. The best learning comes from doing. You don’t need to have the whole plan figured out; just the next step – and take it.

If you’re not already a member of our Facebook Group, The Virtual Assistant Connection, and would like to join, here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com