Ever notice how quickly that word comes out of your mouth?

• "Yes, I'll help."
• "Yes, I'll take it on."
• "Yes, I can manage it."

Even when you're tired. Even when you're already stretched too thin.

And later, when the house is quiet, you collapse onto the couch whispering to yourself: 'Why do I keep saying yes?' 

And you do it at work too, nodding along as someone drops more tasks on your desk. At the parent meeting, volunteering for something you secretly dread. And you are the one agreeing to host dinner when what you really want is a night off. 

That's not just overcommitting. That's a trap. And it's one you've been stuck in for years.

It starts innocently enough, like carrying a backpack that slowly fills with rocks. At first, it's no big deal. One little yes, one little obligation. But over time, each yes adds another stone. And over time, it adds up.

The momentum builds. The world keeps handing you rocks because you keep taking them. People assume you're fine because you've always seemed to hold it together.

But what happens when the backpack becomes so heavy that you can no longer walk? You are now in the Yes Trap.

Saying yes when you mean no isn't generosity. It's self-abandonment. And the story underneath it is this: "If I say no, I'll let people down. If I say no, I won't be loved."

That story is what keeps you carrying rocks that were never yours.

So, how do you break the 'Yes Trap'? 

Step 1: Awareness: Yup, step 1 is always awareness. Start tracking your yeses. Literally write them down. Notice which ones feel heavy, resentful, or exhausting. Those are threshold moments.

Step 2: Practice the Threshold Pause: The next time guilt rises in your chest before you answer, stop. Take one breath. That discomfort you feel isn't a reason to say yes. That's the threshold moment inviting you to cross over to the other side.

Step 3: The Receiving Practice: Begin practicing letting others show up. You don't have to carry it all. In Story Alchemy, our weekly receiving circles provide a safe space for you to practice receiving support without guilt.

You can walk through the thresholds, shed the old story, and learn to live aligned, free, and fully alive.

And you do not have to do it alone.

If you've been carrying this backpack for years, you're already familiar with its weight. And if nothing changes, a year from now, you'll still be lying awake, wondering why you keep betraying yourself.

So take action now. Learn how to put the rocks down and finally exhale. And for the first time, you'll feel the freedom of saying yes only when you mean it.

Because your freedom doesn't come from carrying more. It comes from release.

Much love,
Marie-Josee
Live. Love. Laugh.It matters because YOU matter.