The Best Yes

1. Discern Your Best Yes: Balance Wisdom and Love

We must not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.

Wisdom in decision-making. The Best Yes is about making wise decisions that honor God and align with your purpose. It requires balancing the desire to love and serve others with the need to set healthy boundaries. To discern your Best Yes:

• Seek God's guidance through prayer and Scripture
• Consider your current responsibilities and capacity
• Evaluate the long-term impact of your decision
• Ask trusted advisors for input

Remember, saying no to some things allows you to say yes to what matters most. A Best Yes is not just about doing good things, but about doing the right things for you in your current season of life.

2. Understand the Power of Small No's

Saying no isn't an unnecessary rejection. It's actually a necessary protection of our Best Yes answers.

Implement small no's effectively. Small no's are powerful tools for managing your time and energy. They help you avoid overcommitment and preserve resources for your Best Yes opportunities. To use small no's:

• Be honest and gracious when declining requests
• Offer alternatives or suggestions when possible
• Remember that a no now can lead to a better yes later

Practicing small no's builds confidence and helps you become more comfortable with setting boundaries. It's not about being selfish, but about being intentional with your resources and honoring your commitments.

3. Evaluate Expectations and Manage Demands

Evaluation eliminates frustration.

Assess realistically. Before committing to a new opportunity, carefully evaluate the expectations and demands it will place on you. This helps prevent overextension and disappointment. Consider:

• Time requirements
• Financial commitments
• Emotional energy needed
• Impact on existing responsibilities

Be honest about your capacity and limitations. It's better to under-promise and over-deliver than to take on more than you can handle. Remember, unrealistic expectations often lead to stress and burnout.

4. Overcome Fear and Analysis Paralysis

If you desire to please God with the decision you make and afterward it proves to be a mistake, it's an error not an end.

Move forward with confidence. Fear of making the wrong choice can lead to analysis paralysis, preventing you from taking action. To overcome this:

• Recognize that there's rarely a perfect decision
• Focus on making progress, not achieving perfection
• Trust that God can work through your choices, even imperfect ones
• Take small steps forward instead of waiting for complete certainty

Remember, indecision is a decision in itself. By not choosing, you're often defaulting to the status quo. Embrace the learning opportunities that come with making decisions, even when the outcomes aren't what you expected.

5. Cultivate a Growth Mindset to Combat Insecurity

We must let our identity, not our insecurity, be the first thing that walks into every situation we face—every decision we make.

Embrace potential for growth. Insecurity can hinder decision-making and limit your potential. Cultivating a growth mindset helps you overcome these limitations. To develop a growth mindset:

• View challenges as opportunities for learning
• Embrace effort as the path to mastery
• Learn from criticism instead of taking it personally
• Find inspiration in others' success rather than feeling threatened

Remember that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. This mindset allows you to approach decisions with confidence, knowing that you can grow and adapt as needed.

6. Prioritize Unrushed Moments in Relationships

Relationships nourish us in ways nothing else can. It's the relationships that help unrush us.

Invest in meaningful connections. In our fast-paced world, it's crucial to create space for unrushed moments in relationships. These moments strengthen bonds and provide emotional nourishment. To prioritize relationships:

• Schedule regular, uninterrupted time with loved ones
• Be fully present during interactions, avoiding distractions
• Create rituals or traditions that foster connection
• Practice active listening and empathy

Remember that investing in relationships often yields the greatest returns in life satisfaction and personal growth. These connections provide support, joy, and perspective that can guide you in making wise decisions.

7. Find Strength in Unexpected Outcomes

Let this unexpected happening point to your strength, not your weakness. Maybe you've been entrusted with this. Not cursed with it.

Reframe challenges positively. When Best Yes decisions don't yield expected results, it's easy to feel discouraged. However, unexpected outcomes often provide opportunities for growth and resilience. To find strength in these situations:

• Look for lessons and growth opportunities in the challenge
• Reframe setbacks as preparation for future success
• Seek support from trusted friends or mentors
• Focus on taking the next right step, no matter how small

Remember that your response to unexpected outcomes shapes your character and future. By choosing to see challenges as opportunities for growth, you can emerge stronger and wiser, better equipped for future decisions.

Last updated: November 23, 2024