Setting boundaries is so important – but more often than not is easier said than done.
Saying yes can open the door to new opportunities.
But saying no can help you establish a healthy relationship with yourself which in turn can help you maintain an appropriate work-life balance.
There will be times when you may not know if you should say yes or no to something.
Often our emotional response can help lead the way.
If a specific request makes you feel tense, frustrated or uncomfortable, that is a common sign that a boundary is needed.
Keep on reading for a deeper dive into those emotions.
Tension
Some of us perform better under a little bit of pressure or tension – but too much of anything is not good.
Unresolved and/or intense tension can make it very difficult to relax, recharge and be productive throughout the way.
The next time you catch yourself experiencing tension, take some time to reflect and ask yourself if any event or person may be triggering that feeling.
If you can list one or more, that may be your body’s way of telling you something needs to change.
Frustration
We all feel frustrated from time to time – whether it be at ourselves, someone else or an event.
Some examples include being stuck in traffic, having a disagreement with a friend or being unable to find a solution to a problem.
Feelings of frustration can sometimes be a sign that your current game plan may need some adjustments.
We may not be able to control everything.
But, we can often control more than we give ourselves credit for.
You can control how you approach things.
You can control what you say yes to.
And you can control your thoughts and behaviors.
Discomfort
Feelings of discomfort are often followed by our gut communicating to us that something isn’t right.
Mild discomfort can be a positive thing and push us to step outside our comfort zone and persevere.
But moderate-severe discomfort can be exhausting and help us realize that a certain situation may be making us unhappy.
Final Thoughts
Our mind and body and very powerful and often have their own uniques ways of communication with us.
Deep down, if something doesn’t feel right to you, you have the power to flip the switch.
You can create new rules that can help protect both your emotional and mental energy.