My Year of NO. Why My Time, Energy, and Calling Are Sacred And So Is Yours

Your time, your energy, and your calling are sacred, and you have to live your life as though it is a life worth living.

A few weeks ago, I shared a post about My Year of No and what 2026 means for me. In short, I’ve decided that I will be saying no far more often than I say yes.

That decision wasn’t reactive. It wasn’t emotional. It was deeply intentional, and deeply spiritual.

The heart of that post was this:
Saying no is not selfish. It is not rebellion. It is not a lack of love.
Very often, it is obedience.

I spoke about how people-pleasing quietly erodes your God-given calling. How being over-accessible trains people to expect access. And how every yes carries a cost, whether we acknowledge it or not.

As God tells us, your body is a temple.
But so is your mind.
So are your emotions.
So is your energy.

And if you fail to protect these gifts, you are not being loving, you are being a poor steward of what God has entrusted to you.
Putting boundaries around these divine gifts is not selfish.
It is essential.

What saying no has already shown me is both confronting and clarifying.
It’s shown me where I’ve said yes simply to be polite, agreeable, or accommodating.
Where I’ve agreed to small things without really thinking them through.

But here’s the truth many people miss:
Even a small yes can erode a boundary.
And over time, that erosion creates misalignment in your soul.

Saying no has taught me that I am allowed to let other people feel disappointed – without abandoning my obedience to my calling.

It may be a cliché, but it’s true:
No is a complete sentence.
I don’t need to soften it.
I don’t need to justify it.
I don’t need to fill it with explanations to manage someone else’s reaction.

I can now see clearly where yes was sometimes used as a way to avoid discomfort, not because I’m the biggest people-pleaser in the world (anyone who knows me knows that’s not true), but because it was easier in the moment.

And in doing that, I leaked energy.

Saying no also allows me to speak the truth more fully.
Because even a small yes to the wrong thing, or the wrong person, can create resentment.
Not always toward them…
But often toward yourself.

And if you are not living truthfully in every area of your life, what are you teaching yourself?
What meaning does that give to your life?

I would argue this:
Living with a lie, or living in compromise with your integrity, your moral values, and what God says about your life, may feel easier in the short term, but it always comes back to haunt you.

Living in truth, in alignment with who God has made you to be, is NOT optional.

One of the most important questions you can ask yourself when deciding whether to say yes or no is this:
Am I being true to myself, true to God, or am I managing people’s reactions?

Telling the truth, about whether you are in agreement or not, creates good spiritual hygiene.
Because at the end of the day, you answer to God, not other people.

You were not created to be a convenience for others.
You were not created to have your time, energy, and life siphoned away.
Yes, saying no may feel uncomfortable at first.
You may feel guilt.
You may feel anxiety.
You may worry about disappointing others.
That discomfort does not mean you are wrong.
Other adults’ emotions belong to them.
You are not responsible for carrying them.
And this doesn’t have to be dramatic.
You can say no calmly.
Politely.
Respectfully.
But behind it must be a tenacious resolve.
Because when you honour yourself, when you live in truth, you create space.
Space for clarity.
Space for alignment.
Space for what God is actually calling you into next.

When your yes means yes, and your no means no, you become a person of integrity.
A man or woman of your word.

If you want my help becoming a better steward of your time, your calling, your energy, and your life…
I am opening three spaces for those ready to walk with me into Sacred Stewardship.

I will help you and support you in…

Creating your personal boundary codes

Learning to speak your truth without guilt

Stopping resentment from poisoning your soul

Honour your calling as something worth protecting

Because strength, clarity, and the ability to say no are what remove distraction and make room for what God has actually assigned to you.
Living any other way is a life of compromise.

Believe more is possible,

Karen ❤️ x