The conversation went something like this:
“I want to do it, but I am just so busy. I have the week off, I’ll try to take care of it but I’m not sure when.”
Me: “Why don’t you let me do it? I have no problem helping you out. I’m right here anyway.”
“No, that’s okay. I’ll get to it, I just don’t know when. I have xyz to do at my house, then I have to go to abc. Ugh, I’m just so busy.”
Me: “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”
I’m willing to bet that almost everyone reading this has had that same conversation at least once in the past 3 months.
The art of martyrdom has been happening since the beginning of time. People have renounced themselves for the sake of religion or their steadfast beliefs in an effort to go down in history as one of the noble few who were willing to in some cases, sacrifice their lives, all in the name of their beliefs.
However the art seems to have evolved over the years to include people thinking that they need to do it all without accepting help when it’s offered. As if their proclamation of how busy they are is going to elicit feelings of sympathy and whoa from friends and family (and often does).
But why do we think we have to do it all? Especially when there are those around us who are willing and have offered to lighten our load why do we refuse?
Is it pride?
Is it that we are afraid of looking like a failure if we don’t do it all?
Or are we just looking for sympathy? Since when did being “so busy”, and not accepting help become noble?
Saying YES is Good For You
The days of talking about how busy we are are over.
You have one of two solutions:
# 1: Either say no to some of the things that have you “so busy” or
#2: Say YES when others are offering you help.
Saying YES not only to others, but also to yourself is good for your health.
If you are constantly telling your friends and family how busy you are, it gets old. Especially if those friends and family members have offered to take some things off of your plate and you refused their help.
Saying yes, doesn’t mean you failed. Saying yes, doesn’t mean you are less than. Saying yes, means that you respect yourself, your time, your health and your overall well being. Saying no when help is offered produces the opposite affect that you may be looking for.
While you may be looking for sympathy, your response is likely to find you in a situation where no one is going to offer you help anymore and trust me, there will be a time when you will want it.
Do yourself a favor, stop glamorizing busy and start accepting help when it’s offered. You will quickly find that you are not as busy as you thought and a whole lot happier.
Here’s to Saying YES!
