Don’t let others make you busy. To exclude busyness from your life requires strength, awareness, and strategy. You have to make plans. If you don’t make plans, other people will make them for you. ~ Dallas Willard
This is huge. And it’s a lesson many of us need to learn for the sake of our health, our sanity, and our marriages.
Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” It’s valid advice because someone who is busy has shown they don’t have reasonable boundaries.
This is very much a boundaries issue. It’s about respecting yourself, your spouse, and your marriage enough to know when to say no. It also means being strong enough to say no and be okay with someone getting upset about it. Saying yes out of fear is a bad place to be.
I suggest you and your spouse practice a bit of accountability here. Regularly ask what is on the other’s plate, and ask if that’s too much. Encourage and help them say no. And please, don’t ever commit them to something on their behalf.
The world will make you busy unless you actively fight it. Make a plan, and stand strong.
~ This is Paul, reminding you that Doing Marriage Well often means doing less.
Not as impressive as the fields we saw a couple of weeks ago, but our tulips are blooming!
Image Credit: © Paul H Byerly created with ideogram.ai & Paul Byerly
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