The Power of No

Hey there, 

Back in late 2024 (which now seems like a lifetime ago), my family and I took a (very…very…) long trip to Asia and I was basically #unavailable for almost a month.

And I’ll be honest, the thought of not being ‘in the mix’ sort of freaked me out. 

I’m used to being everywhere and doing all the things. If you saw my calendar, there’s a 100% chance you’d have a case of mild anxiety (or at least a few heart palpitations and butterflies) and this is post-running a company when I theoretically should have way more time available. But somehow, that damn calendar always got filled…

So as we boarded our flight, my eyes shifted from left to right when I realized…my life in LA or my projects would be forced to be on airplane mode, at least for a few weeks. Yet I would still be working…traveling with pre-school age kids is basically a full time job as well (the parents out there know!).

As we were bopping through Asia, I noticed that living this trip in a sort of self-induced airplane mode changed my perspective on how unavailably available I was back at home. 

After I started reflecting, I realized that my FOMO would leave juuuuuuuuust enough room on the social forecast, but the only person who was losing out was me. 

When I got back home, I learned just how important saying “no” is which, while uncomfortable in the moment, is one of the best ways to protect your energy. Someone once pointed out, show me your calendar and I’ll tell you what your priorities are and I really didn’t love what I saw for myself.

Because every “no” means a “yes” to something else. 

I don’t know about you, but when you put it like that—it might mean a slower pace, but that’s the kind of balance and life of harmony I want to create more of this year. 

And now I want to know: what’s one YES that you’re excited to create more space for this year, even if it means saying no to something else? Hit reply to this email and let me know!

Slow and steady,
Vanessa