How do they do it all?
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably asked yourself this question about your friend, that inspiring lady you follow on Instagram or the perfectly-put-together girl you see next to you at your barre class. I know it can be easy to make assumptions about people we follow, particularly on social media, but we’ve learned that every yes is attached to a no. In order to say yes to what matters in our lives, it means saying no to some surprising things. We’re sharing a few surprising things we say no to, and we hope it encourages you to prioritize what matters most to you, and say no (or not right now) to the rest!
I say no to painting my nails, washing my hair every day, and switching up my accessories. Wearing the same necklace, earrings, and rings every day means that’s one less decision I have to make in the mornings! -Emily
I say no to more than one hang out with a friend each week. This may be my introvert speaking, but limiting my free time available to hang out with friends means quite a few things to me: I have a small (but closer) group of friends who I am comfortable with all of the time, I have to do less manipulating to our meal-plans and dog-walking schedules with my boyfriend, I save money that would go toward food or drinks or gas, and I feel totally refreshed and ready to hang out with them and then tend to myself by limiting my time out. -Nicole
I say no to planning elaborate and meat-filled meals during the week. Not only is it time-consuming, it’s expensive to cook a variety of food for a single person. Instead, I have a pretty consistent rotation of small and inexpensive meals that I eat regularly, most of which are vegetarian. I use get-togethers or date nights in to flex my cooking skills and eat some meat. -Jess
I say no to traditional dinners and meal prep (for now). Our family is in a season where my husband is traveling often and most weeks I’m single parenting. I’ve grown weary trying to fit the grocery shopping, kid pickups at two different locations, making sit-down family dinners, bath and bedtime in the two and a half hour time window that I have between pick-up and bedtime (our kids’ school time starts super early, so they have 5:30am wake-up times). I’m leaning on services like Shipt to have groceries delivered. It adds a few dollars to our monthly budget, but it has been such a huge stress relief and time savings that it is worth it for me. I’m giving myself grace that this is just a season for our dinners (I love to cook and have family gathered ’round the table). -Amber
I have been saying no to using my car and choosing to walk instead! For example, it is a 15-minute walk to the grocery store, and I am able to carry two bags of groceries on the way back. Because I’m only buying for myself, I have found it easy to get some extra steps in, save a few dollars on gas, and still be able to manage to carry my groceries on the way home. It also keeps me from sneaking a pint of ice cream into the cart because it might melt on the way home! -Kaylee
I say no to social media on the weekends! I’ve been taking social-media-free weekends for over six years, and it has been one of the biggest blessings for my heart, my marriage, and now my family. On Friday, I delete the apps from my phone so I’m not tempted to choose them over connecting with the people I love. -Lara
Tell us below: What surprising thing do you say no to? We’d love to hear from you in the comments, and your words could be encouraging for someone else!
For a decade, these Write the Word Journals have helped women cultivate faith focused habits and spiritual growth goals. Their simple format (and beautiful design) makes it easy to get right into the Word.
Save the date for the 2026 PowerSheets® Collection launch! Yes, friends, it's almost here! The 2026 PowerSheets, Season by Season® planner, and new accessories will launch on Tuesday, September 16 at 10 am ET. Stay tuned, because we have SO much fun in store between now and then!