Do You Tell Yourself "No"? Your Wallet Will Thank You If You Do

hELLO World! =]

Life is throwing a few extra cards these days. I'm dedicating today and these next three weeks to one very special word: 

"No." 

First of all: Tax season. I can't believe how much I owe :-O Should I regret doing independent contracting work last year? Or should I be happy to have experienced a year's worth of tax-free paychecks...? It's a double-edged sword, and I'm paying for it now >.<

Second: Where is all this invisible extra money coming from to pay for said tax season?! I will have $0 dollars in my bank account for two weeks after satisfying the IRS. Hah! What's holding my sanity together? Remembering that the money will come back ;p and my debt to society will be clear for a half-second (let's not even talk about the loans).

"No" will suffice until I have a means to say "yes" to anything 😂 How often do we find ourselves agreeing to what we can't afford, or opportunities that aren't financially or mentally suitable (even if we can somewhat swing it)?

It's sO easy to be the "yes" person and dig yourself into a hole. Though my no's relate to finances, what are some ways you can lighten your stress?

Do you ever tell yourself "no"? I love April because it's National Poetry Month (catch our poet lineup on Instagram!). But can we all agree and make April a "back off" month? ;p Tell me what you're relinquishing control over!

Saying "no" might mean a longer shower with some candles lit, or extra time for a massage, or time for a super-free walk around the park. 

Join me in this say-no cleanse.  I'm looking forward to sorta kinda saving money (but not really, because I won't have any :-D) and probably getting more sleep... What will you give back to yourself? Money, self-love, courage -- or all three?


So I finally found a therapist that works with my schedule :-O

We had our first session last weekend. If ya'll remember a previous post, I had avoided finding a therapist for WAY. TOO. LONG. I'm feeling open to the therapy process now. I said something to them (which I'll dig into in the coming weeks) that might have re-routed the rest of my year: "I never feel more like myself than when I'm teaching."

*Note: I cried within five minutes of sitting down ;)* bUT that hour helped rattle my thought process later in the evening.

'til l8r,

Lati