The power of No

Today, I said a big no.
I said no to an interesting job from a potentially  great client.  
I said no to something that my old self at another moment  of her life would have said yes in a blink of an eye. It required   skills I  have honed through years of practice, would mean meeting new people,  be in a prestigious environment, it would probably add one more interesting little stone to my CV and I would likely have fun. 
So, why did I say no?
Because  my  CV does not lack interesting and rich experiences as it is. Because  taking this job would require extensive travelling and a complicated agenda reorganisation   of the whole family.  And because I trust my own capacity to  provide good value service to other clients in circumstances  less trying for me and my family.
I've learned to   juggle with all the elements of my life and make the right choices to keep   a healthy balance between what makes me happy as a professional, what brings income, what  keeps me grounded, what keeps me healthy physically and the people who matter to me and need me as much as I need them.
Where I would have said yes when I lacked self-assurance in my own skills and was afraid of the bad consequences to letting go of what seems to be a prestigious opportunity,     I have now the serenity to  say no. And it feels liberating  and full of possibilities.
Try it, you'll be surprised.