Sometimes you have to say no!

Well that pretty much sums this up into one sentence.  There are many people out there that like to 'fix' things or other people.  Most of the time this can land us into some type of trouble, just over the weekend my cousin-in-law was on his way to work when he stopped to help a man that looked as if he were having a heart attack.  This wasn't the case, that man held him at gun point to rob him, the gun jammed so the criminal decided to stab my cousin instead.  All is well with him, some deeps cuts, but the emotional scars that this will leave him and his family will last a whole lot longer if he would have said, "No I have to get to work.  I'll call the authorities on my way instead."  This could have been avoided.  Now that I've rambled on it's time to get back to my semantics of saying no.  

Consider putting your own needs first, now I'm not saying don't help others but you must be able to help yourself before you can help others.  Sometimes people and especially women believe that they cannot be happy until they have made everyone else around them happy.  Husband, children, boss, co-workers etc... this is not the case at all, there is a huge difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself.  I for one have always had to keep up with my feet.  To my own opinion if you don't take care of your foundation aka your feet the rest of the building will eventually follow.  Every few weeks I spend the $25-$30 it costs to have a spa pedicure done.  This keeps my feet in tip top shape, and it is 'me time'.  A simple gesture that I schedule in every few pay checks.  I simply tell others that I'm unavailable during this time after the 45 minutes it takes my normal bust day will continue.

Men on the south paw here think they NEED to provide everything for their spouse.  How lucky you are if you're able to say, "Yes!  I have one of those!"  I can say that I am lucky and have one of those.  Every now and again I have to remind him that his opinion on things matter too and I try my best to respecting his decisions when I give no input into a situation and he makes an executive decision.  This trickles down on occasion because he has an issue with telling friends and family no.  Strangers are not a problem, but loved ones are.  From mechanic to Firefighter and Paramedic he has always 'fixed' things for others and not himself.  His needs usually come in last.

Practice saying the work no on a bag of potatoes or in the mirror, even to your partner.  Tell them you're looking to perfect your game face and get things in order with your life and one of these things is learning to say the word no when appropriate.