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November 20, 2023 11 mins

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Ever feel like you're stretched too thin? Like you're saying 'yes' more often than you should? Find out how you can set clear boundaries and balance generosity with personal priorities. In this solo episode, we explore the importance of clarity and gratitude, and how we can avoid overextending ourselves by learning to say 'no'.

Join me as I share my personal strategy for managing commitments - focusing on three to five priorities at any given time - and how staying grounded in these priorities can lead to more effective service, greater generosity, and a much-needed sense of balance. We discuss the challenge of balancing service and generosity with personal boundaries and how to navigate this complex dynamic. Expect a heart-to-heart conversation filled with insights and personal anecdotes. Don't forget to share your thoughts on this episode when it goes live; I'd love to hear from you!

Drive, Ambition, Doing, Leading, Creating... all good until we forget about our own self-care. This Village of All-Stars pays it forward with transparency about  misses and celebration in winning. We cover many topics and keep it 100. We are Proven Not Perfect™️
https://www.provennotperfect.com

Follow me on Instagram at: shontrapowell_provennotperfect
Check out Proven Not Perfect ™️ YouTube Channel as well. Join the community for ideas and events at www.provennotperfect.com.

I'd love to hear what you think!

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
So it has been a minute since I've done a solo
episode very long time and Ithink for a moment I thought
that probably those were lessuseful, that you guys were so
much more interested in hearingthe voices of my guests and the
conversations that we havetogether.
But I've come to learn that youknow what, just as this started

(00:26):
as a solo episode, I have somestuff to say and, by God's grace
, some people actually want tohear it, so cool.
So you know, I'm going to domore of this.
I'm going to do more of thesolo episodes.
I think it's important tomaintain that grounding and that

(00:47):
connection and understandingwho it is, quite frankly, that
you're engaging in listening andconversation with, as you share
the conversations that I havewith some of my amazing guests,
all of my amazing guests.
They're all amazing.
But I think you know, let's bereal, right, some of us connect

(01:10):
to some conversations more thanothers, right?
I know I do the same thing andI am podcast surfing or
listening to my favoritepodcasters as well.
So here it is, solo episodetoday.
So what I want to talk abouttoday?
Well, recently I have a formerguest on the show posted a

(01:37):
little I don't know what youcall it, like a little wallpaper
thing, and it said no, in smallquotes, parentheses no, not
parentheses, small quotes nomember.
And I thought that was reallyinteresting.
And then I thought about all ofthe gratitude conversations

(02:02):
that many of us are having andhow we're choosing to be more
grateful, which is veryinteresting to me, that we have
to choose to be more gratefulbecause there's so much to be
grateful for, even when thingsare going on, and trust and know
that my life is not perfect.

(02:24):
I go through things daily and Ichoose to be grateful.
So I really want to talk abouthow do you combine this notion
of being really clear about yournose and also being full of

(02:48):
gratitude and generosity?
Quite frankly, can those placescoexist within us?
Can we be really reallygrounded and clear on what our
priorities are, allowing us tosay no but at the same time,

(03:09):
being open and receiving andgenerous and grateful?
Well, no.
So I'd love to hear what youthink.
So you'll have to definitelyhit me up when I post this, but
I can only speak from theperspective of the no-vimper.

(03:32):
So for me, it's very easy to getto a place and I've talked
about this before to get to aplace where I am overextended
because saying yes was just theeasiest thing to do and, quite
frankly, went with my own heartand generosity to serve.

(03:58):
But it's so clear to me thatevery single time I do that I
get to the same in place where Ihave to do the hard work of
unpacking all of the things Isaid yes to to get to the core

(04:20):
of what really was the yes thatwas intended for me and I'm
telling you it's a lot of workand you know this is work right.
But the thing that hit my mindregarding the generosity piece
is that you can be moreavailable and flowing in

(04:46):
generosity when you are notover-serving.
And it sounds almost ridiculousto say over-serving because we
are born to serve but we arelimited.
So if we are limited, thenthere is a limitation to what we

(05:13):
can serve at any given time.
I have historically used threeto five, three to five goals,
three to five priorities at anygiven time.
What are the three lanes that Iam serving?

(05:34):
For me, this podcast is aministry, and it's as much a
ministry for me as it is for thecommunity that I'm so humbled
receive these words and thinkabout these words and join in
the conversation.
For me, it's also leadership.

(05:57):
You know I've had a big swerve,a few swerves, but my recent
swerve has been to go back intoa corporate structure of
leadership and I take greatresponsibility for that role.

(06:19):
I take great responsibility forthe impact that I have on
others.
I take great responsibility forhow I show up and who I show up
as and with.
Quite frankly, I take greatresponsibility for fit and the
things that I'm doing thatpreclude me fitting and the

(06:42):
things that are happening aroundme that preclude me fitting, so
that I can stay really groundedand very communicative when
things need to be discussed.
But I take great responsibilitythere.
So that's number two.
Number three and this is not inthe order y'all, because this
would have been one all day longit's family.
It's my family that a birth ismy family that birthed me.

(07:08):
There are so many things goingon and for me there's nothing
more important than celebratinglife, experiencing life and
being a part of those moments,those beautiful, rich moments
that are fleeting and soimportant for us to be fully
immersed in.
So those are my three provennot perfect leadership and

(07:35):
family.
So I'm just going to put it outthere If you are like me, and
your yeses come far quicker thanyour nose, and you found
yourself sort of packed in withso many expectations of others

(07:56):
and you need to pull back out.
Then do it, just do it.
Take the time and just do it.
And if you're also like me,you've moved from five to three,
because the more I give myselflanes of pursuit, the more I'm

(08:18):
gonna do it.
And you know, there's somethingabout relentless focus.
It's got us to where we are andit's gonna get us to where
we're going.
So go ahead, girlfriend.
Sharpen that pencil, get outthat note taker on your phone,
whatever it is that you'rejammed, go get it done.
And then I have a word ofscripture for you that I believe

(08:40):
will uplift you as much as itdid me.
This is from 2nd Corinthians, 8, chapter 8, and it's verse 16
that I'm gonna start with.
But thanks be to God, who putsthe same earnest care for you
into the heart of Titus, for henot only accepted the

(09:04):
exhortation but, being morediligent, he went to you of his
own accord.
Now I'm gonna go back up tochapter 8, verse 10.
And in this I give advice.
It is to your advantage not onlyto be doing what you began and

(09:26):
were desiring to do a year ago,but now you also must complete
the doing of it.
That, as there was a readinessto desire it, so there also may
be a completion out of what youhave, word, word, word.

(09:48):
Do you get that?
So, if you're like me and youpack in so many things with all
the yeses, how in the world canyou complete?
And certainly, how can youcomplete with the grace and

(10:09):
generosity in your heart to stayfresh and open and ready for
more?
Alright, just something for youto think about.
I hope that you enjoyed thissolo podcast.
It's been a while.
Have a wonderful, wonderful,wonderful week.
Great holiday season 2023.

(10:31):
Blessings to you.
Proven that perfect.
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