The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst

The Best Yes by Lysa TerkeurstSaw my friend Kim was reading The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst a while back, and it’s been on my radar to take a look at, too. I’m so glad I did!

I didn’t know a ton about the book ahead of time – going into it I just knew it was about working on boundaries a little.

Learning how to say no to too many commitments.

Slowing down a tad.

Bringing the best of yourself to the fewer commitments you do have.

This book wasn’t 100% for me.

As amazing as The Best Yes was to read, as much as I nodded as I read it… This isn’t the book I personally was looking for.

If you know me, you know I’m pretty good at saying no. I help out, I volunteer, I pitch in. But I know my limits, and I’m not afraid to say something is too involved for what I can handle. It’s why I’m not still coordinating kids church at Hydrate – I couldn’t do as much as I wanted to with it in the constraints of being a work at home mom of two littles living on a 10 acre fixer upper farm and running a freelance illustration business. Volunteer for kids church? Absolutely count me in. Run it, not so much.

So the saying no outside my home… That’s not where I struggle.

The subtitle of the book is where she gets me.

Knowing this book is kind of themed around setting limits to how many things you say yes to with others is part of the reason it’s taken me this long to pick it up from the library and read it.

But then a couple of months ago, I was at Hobby Lobby and I saw it on the shelf near checkout.

The subtitle is why I put a hold on the book at the library:

Making wise decisions in the midst of endless demands

That right there. Is my life in a nutshell. As a work at home parent.

Of two littles.

Living with my husband on a 10 acre fixer upper farm.

And running a freelance illustration business.

My endless demands aren’t outside of the home. They’re right here in my house all day every day. And sometimes, if I can be totally completely 100% transparent with you… That gets really difficult sometimes.

The encouragement I got from The Best Yes

Even though the book wasn’t entirely spot on in terms of my own personal situation (being able to set limits and boundaries outside the home, but handling a lot inside the home), I still feel like I got a lot out of reading it.

In a nutshell, my family is my best yes. This ridiculously funny guy I married and our two insane children, they’re the absolute #1 thing I’ve ever said yes to. Church. Our farm. My art. Our extended family and friends. I’m in a constant state of schedule shifts lately so I can hone in on the sweet spot where these best yeses of mine all get the time they deserve. And I’m trying really hard to keep conscious of the fact that my best yeses deserve the best of me. If I’m having problems bringing that to the table, gotta keep reworking that schedule. 

And maybe making sure there’s time for the couch and ice cream in there, too, right?

Here’s a little Monday Motivation for ya that I picked up from The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst:

Inspirational Quote - The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst - Illustration by Steph Calvert Art

We’re all in this together, right?

Right.

Have you read The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst?

I’d love to hear what you thought about it! Leave me a comment on this post or email hi@stephcalvertart.com.

You can pick up your copy here.

 

Freelance Illustrator Steph Calvert • Steph Calvert Art | https://stephcalvertart.com

Freelance illustrator Steph Calvert is an award-winning artist with 24 years of experience working as a creative professional. She is based in McDonough, Georgia, just south of Atlanta.

Steph Calvert has expertise as a children’s book illustrator. She is an expert surface pattern designer for art licensing and creates line drawings for publishing and product design. Steph has years of additional expertise as a mural artist, creating original art, and logo design for small businesses. She is currently querying literary agents with her first author/illustrator book projects.

National SCBWI Conference, 2023
Illustration Summer Camp – The Highlights Foundation, 2021
Make Art That Sells, 2017
BFA in Computer Art – SCAD, 1999


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