"Do you want to go out?"

Sure!

"Will you do this with me?"

Yeah!

"Can you please do this for me?"

Okay!

Sometimes we find life so much easier when we just agree to things. What's the harm in agreeing and letting life take you where it takes you? It seems like a simple way to live.

In fact, just a few months ago, I wrote an entry about how my life improved when I began saying "yes" more often. I was open to every possibility life threw at me because I grew tired of shutting down opportunities.

In a lot of ways, I still agree with my previous statement that saying "yes" more often and being more open to possibilities does improve our lives and, in the long run, make us happier, although there is an extent to how far we can "go with the flow."

It gets to a point that it becomes very difficult to say "no" to people. I truly feel like the word itself has been abolished from my personal vocabulary. It's a word that I associate with negativity, thus avoid at most costs. Perhaps it's the people pleaser in me, but I find it very hard to shut anybody down with a "no."

I want to be there for everybody and have people feel they can rely on me, but how can I be that person if I don't make myself constantly available?

I've come to realize that you cannot live your life saying "yes" to everything. It is simply not feasible, and there will come times when you'll realize you do not owe others your availability. If you want to spend a day or evening, or even a couple hours to yourself, you're entitled to, even if your friend wants your time.

I think it's important to find the perfect in between and balance of life with your time and relationships. As important as it is to form relationships and give others loyalty and reliability, it is just as important to give that much effort into yourself. You must treat yourself with the same amount of love and respect as you give others.

If you need to say "no" to somebody else for the sake of yourself, say no. It is just a word. We should not have to compromise our own well-being to make others happy. We can always find a happy medium.