click here to open post Dec 09, 2010 | posted in Personal | 17 comments

There’s the proof in the pudding.

The story I am about to tell you is the honest to gosh truth, and after hearing it, you’ll understand EXACTLY why I married Richie and why I’d do it all over again x 77 million.

My fancy man, who just hit the big 3 + 0 this past August, was (in a former life) a true-blue punk rocker.  He opened for rock stars you’ve definitely heard of and played on stages that, for a true-blue rocker, are the stuff dreams are made of.

When Richie was 18, he was offered a phat signing deal with a phat label, which he turned down to serve a 2 year, non paid, service mission for our church. If you were to ask him today whether looking back he met any regret, he’d be quick to answer with a resounding, “NOT A CHANCE! It was the very BEST two years of my life.”

“It’s easy to say NO when there is a deeper YES burning within” Dr. Stephen R. Covey.

I think one of the biggest challenges of life is developing the ability to say “NO.” So most people DON’T. Ever. And before they know it, their lives are messy, unorganized, unfulfilled, OVERWHELMING semblances of where they truly want (and DESERVE) to be.

Earlier this week, I wrote a post about saying YES to life!  Yes to joy, wonder, excitement, productivity, HAPPINESS!!!  Yet, this ever so important detail remains to be said: I don’t believe you can truly have all the most joyous yes’s your life has to offer, unless you can first learn to say some no’s.

My no’s have required me to take a long hard look at my life and to make some extremely difficult decisions.  They have required me to have some difficult conversations and to set some very specific boundaries for myself, my family and my time. Sometimes saying “no” has even forced me to turn down fame, FUN and often, considerable financial opportunities. It has required me to be less haphazard about my life–which is an uncomfortable transition because it forces you to do some soul searching to determine what really matters to you in the deepest part of your most authentic self.

AAAAAAAAAND, it’s all been worth it!!!

I’ve never felt more like me in my entire life. I’ve never felt more connected to my husband in our 8 years of marriage, and I’ve never loved or KNOWN my children as well as I do in this very moment.

Because, like my hot little punk rocker, I have learned that it’s easy to say “no”, when I’m saying “YES!” to that bigger fire within.

What do YOU need to say “no” to?

I’ll give you some hints:  so much time on the Internet or watching television?? late night hobbying (aka photo editing)??  the need to ALWAYS be right??  the fear of saying no to a project because you’re afraid of missing out??

xx and happy weekending!

Me