My word for this year, 2022, is NO.

This photo was taken in 2015 just days before I met Jill. Days!

This was what my life used to look like. Tearing apart old classic cars and restoring the interiors. All from scratch. Day in and day out.

It was dirty work, difficult to bid and I felt extreme pressure to achieve perfection.

I was in deep with tools, and yeses and ego. I felt stuck. It took Jill telling me for two years I didn’t have to keep doing upholstery to sum up the courage to say No when people called. And another two years to finish all the projects I had said yes too.

Saying no to others was hard for me then and it still is now.

I’m finding myself in a similar predicament at the store. People asking me to take on projects I don’t want to do, but I say yes.

What is that? Saying yes when I feel a no. Accepting the requests of others like it’s my duty. What am I? A sewing martyr? A self tortured artist? It seems so clear as I write this yet to summon the courage to say NO in the moment is so difficult. 🤪

My body often knows the answer before my brain does. I can feel the no, but I hear a YES come out of my mouth. 😮

Then I get back to the warehouse with all these weird requests and Jill looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. But it’s worst than losing my mind! I’ve silenced myself and the slow torture of “having to” begins. 😭

I’m writing myself a reminder today. I’m giving myself permission (once again) to just say NO. 🤔

Just because you can doesn’t mean you have to. 😉