Saying "No."

The last couple of months have been a bit of a hazy fog for me.  We had to put one of our beloved golden retrievers down and it hit me way harder than I had expected it would.  I didn't have much interest in anything art related for weeks.  As the fog began to lift, I slowly got back into art.  I still miss her and think of her often, but it is time to get back to living.

Recently I had a great opportunity to teach art for a local "paint and wine" company.  They are a new start-up and still working out the format/structure of their business.  Initially, I thought it was going to be the perfect opportunity to get in on the ground floor, help them build the art side of their business, and create opportunities and open doors for me. 

But as I got further involved, I felt like something wasn't working.  At first I couldn't but my finger on it.  So I went within and really listened to my inner voice.  After a day or two I figured out why it just wasn't meant for me.  I was left with only one option.  I needed to say, "No."

I didn't act on it immediately.  I was scared to say "No."  What would happen if I said it?  Would another opportunity come along or was this my one shot?  I was paralyzed by the thought of saying "No."  I struggled with it.  Heck, at one point I even tried to talk myself back into it.  Ultimately though, I kept coming back to the same reasoning and my inner voice kept telling me that I needed to pass on the opportunity.  When I finally said, "No." it was as if a major weight had been lifted.  The sun was brighter.  The air all around me was happier.  I knew then that it was the right choice for me. 

I wish them all the best and sincerely hope that they go on to great and amazing things.  It'll just be with another artist.  THIS artist has a different path to take. 

I am now exploring my own capacity to conduct private paint and sip parties that feature my own artwork/designs and in doing so will be using my creative energy, time, and talents to build up my own brand/art business.  By saying "No." to something else, I have created space in my soul and schedule to say "Yes!" to me.

Have you ever said, "No." to an opportunity?  How did it lead to a different/better "Yes!" down the road?