Say ‘No’ to Make More Room for ‘Yes’

5 Ways the Power of ‘No’ Can Be Beneficial To Your Family

Did you know that saying ‘no’, is actually a powerful tool? It isn’t just about setting boundaries, but also helps you honor your priorities, and builds your decision making as you create an intentional home. Every time you say ‘no’ to something that doesn’t align with your family goals, you are strengthening your ‘yes’ to other things that are important to your family.

A List of 5 Ways That Saying ‘No’ Can Improve Family Life

1. You are Telling Your Money What to Do, Not the Other Way Around. When you say no to purchases, it is helping you shop with more intention. Each time you say no to an item that you want, but don’t actually need, you are building self-control, and strengthening your spending habits. For example, I got addicted to macadamia nuts while in my most recent pregnancy. I HAD to have them. But, at Costco, they are about $17 a bag, and I was going through a bag a week. At the end of the month that would be $68. `So, I told myself ‘no’ to the macadamia nuts. At first, I thought about that bag every single time I went to Costco, but now, I don’t. That is how it always starts, whether that is slowing down how much you are eating out, or other purchases, it always is difficult to start. But, then, it gets easier, until it becomes a habit that you don’t even think about anymore.
2. Your Wallet Gets Bigger. When you start saying no, all of a sudden you have a lot more money to go around. Your money can stretch so much farther when you make less purchases. As obvious as that sounds, it is something that the majority of our society hasn’t quite realized yet. With money saved, you can then redirect it to where it actually needs to go. My $68 from macadamia nuts can now go towards wet wipes, or a bulk bag of rice, etc. Here are more ways our family grocery shops here and here.
3. You Stop Being So Busy. Saying no isn’t just about purchases, it is also about commitments. Saying no to too many activities, frees up more time for what your family actually needs. I think our family is pretty fun, and saying no to events can be hard, but slowing down has been so beneficial for our family. When we over-schedule, I can tell. Everyone is tired, and we have more meltdowns and attitudes. If I start to see that, I know we need to slow down, and relook at our calendar.
4. When ‘No’ Becomes a Teacher. Each time you say no to yourself, you are also showing with your actions, what is a priority to you, to your children. Your children are learning stewardship, contentment, and decision making based off of your actions. The more that you are able to make a controlled decision to say ‘no’ when it benefits your family, the more your children will watch and learn from that as well. When my children ask to get something in the store and we don’t need it, I say, “no, not this time”, and they have learned that no means no. Then I will say, “let’s find something we do need, like bananas!”, and this redirects them to focus on something we need, rather than focusing on what they are not getting.
5. Saying Yes. The more you say no, the more it strengthens your resolve to focus on what is important to your family. It helps build discernment and makes you check back in with your family goals. Saying no, lets you say yes to having more time together as a family. It means making more food at home, and simplifying your life and schedule. You are able to make choices with more clarity and say ‘yes’ with more intention.

Things Our Family Has Decided to Say No to:

• Loans for home improvement
• Car loans
• Sporting events for young children
• Expensive schooling
• Credit card debt
• Gym memberships
• Eating out
• Expensive vacations
• Brand new toys/books

I would love to hear from you about what your family has decided to say ‘no’ to in order to make room for more ‘yes’. Let me know in the comments!