My daughter is getting married! She moved home to live with us until the big day. What a pleasure to help her plan her wedding! And what a project to incorporate into my already busy schedule!

But for me, helping my daughter plan her wedding is a Big YES! I would not want to miss this opportunity, and I am willing, without a shadow of doubt, to rearrange my life to help her. And I am willing to say NO to other things.

When faced with opportunities and decisions to make, our YES must be bigger than our NO. Our YES is our convictions, calling and core values. Our NO is every other good thing we can do.

YES = Convictions, Calling and Core Values
NO = Every other good thing we can do

One of my core values is family. Right or wrong, I want my children to know that I would drop anything for them if they need me.

With this belief at the core of my being, it was easy for me to say YES to wedding planning and just as easy for me to say NO to other good things.

Everyday, we are presented with opportunities to serve our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers, our families, our churches and our communities. We receive phone calls, texts, and invitations requesting of us to do something. And often, we don’t even need an invitation to feel compelled to meet a need.

If your YES looms bigger in your mind than your NO, if you are certain of your calling, convictions and core values, you will know how to answer.

What is your Big YES?
Write down your top 5 and share them with a friend.

And when you are presented with an opportunity in which you need to answer NO, here is a tip:

Say something like, “Thank you for the opportunity. I would love to, but I cannot at this time.”
Do not give a reason; your YES is unique to you!