Life balance is an essential component of my coaching practice. I am drawn to minimalism for many reasons—mostly because clutter in life can create busyness and distraction from purpose and meaning. The new year often inspires us to reorder things, I ask you to consider being prayerful in your yeses and nos.
I recently came across an article by minimalist and pastor Joshua Becker, who says, “The more balls we try to juggle, the fewer we catch” [1]. When too many goals compete for our time and attention, we become less effective in achieving them. Scientific evidence regarding multi-tasking concurs with Becker, debunking the myth many of us, including me, hold about the powers of multitasking. Focusing on one thing at a time leads to the best outcomes [2].
I mostly agree with Becker’s sentiment and advice, except for his reference to Warren Buffet’s quote: “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” This idea emphasizes minimizing distractions and saying no to requests on our time. While this is certainly something to consider, I think it requires nuance.
Buffet makes a strong case for minimizing ambitious goals by invoking agency—our ability to control our environment. Agency is, indeed, a component of purpose and actualization. However, both Christian teachings and modern psychological science on flourishing suggest that careless avoidance of other’s needs can hinder our personal growth. As Christians, we are not isolated humanists focused solely on self-actualization. According to research on human flourishing, a significant source of meaning in life comes from contributing to the well-being of others.
We also understand that life is filled with nuances, and each “yes” and “no” has consequences—sometimes leading to overstressed schedules or missed opportunities. Think of a time when you said “yes” to something you didn’t want to do, but that decision led to a significant gift or lesson. We often cannot foresee the blessings our “yes” might bring.
While we need to learn to say “no” at times, I ask you to prayerfully consider challenging invitations. Overly minimizing and controlling our lives inevitably sanitizes us from experiencing the unpredictable blessings of our yeses. It’s the yeses in the history of the world that have given us the greatest gifts. During Advent, we are reminded of the beautiful fiat of our Mother Mary, which is one example of a profound “yes.” Mary trusted in God’s plan and was open to an invitation. The “yes” of Jesus’ first disciples is another example of the challenges and glory that come with saying “yes” to God’s call.
Though I agree with Becker’s idea that sometimes we try to do too much at once and need to say no or shelve certain things, we must not be too quick to say “no.” God calls us in various ways to welcome the heart of Jesus into our lives. If we rely solely on our ambition, we might miss His calling.
Reflection Questions:
- What are some of your blessings that have come from saying “yes” to a challenge?
- How often do we dismiss an invitation without prayerfully considering it?
- Where you spend your time is what you give value to. Have you spent time examining how you spend your time?
- Is it time to revisit our routines and make your calendar available to fruitful yeses in your life?
References:
[1]. Becker, J. (2024). “The life-enriching opportunity of a stop-doing list.” Becoming Minimalist. https://www.becomingminimalist.com/stop-doing/
[2]. Han, J.J., & Broniarczyk, S.M. (2022). Multitasking: Handbook of Clinical Neurology.
To connect with Suzi Ellington, visit her directory profile at
https://www.catholiclifecoaches.com/suzanne-ellington
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