It Had to Happen – Day 8 of December

 

It Had to Happen – Day 8 of December

Good morning, wonderful, amazing, sweet, and lovely people! I hope you’re having an amazing day and not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome back to Maryam’s Joyful Life.

Today is December 8th, and I want to share an incredible insight I received yesterday from my amazing pastor and mentor, Real Talk Kim. These are things I’ve been reflecting on and believe will be inspiring for you too.

At church, Pastor Kim was teaching from our current series, Messy Miracles. During the sermon, she said four simple words that really resonated with me: “It had to happen.”

Think about that for a moment. Every struggle, setback, and unexpected moment in your life—no matter how difficult—happened for a reason. Even the things that seem messy, confusing, or painful are part of a bigger plan that is shaping your growth, your healing, and your future blessings.

Sometimes we get frustrated when things don’t go the way we want. We may wish for instant answers, perfect timing, or smooth roads. But the truth is, life’s detours and challenges are often exactly what we need to become stronger, wiser, and more prepared for the blessings waiting for us.

So today, I encourage you to take a deep breath and embrace your journey—messy as it may seem. Trust that even when things feel overwhelming or uncertain, it had to happen. Your past, your struggles, and even your mistakes are creating the path to your miracles.

Stay joyful, stay hopeful, and remember—you are exactly where you need to be.

Day 7 — The Power of “No”: Protecting Your Peace and Reclaiming Your Life

 

Day 7 — The Power of “No”: Protecting Your Peace and Reclaiming Your Life

What’s up, wonderful, amazing, sweet, and lovely people? Welcome back to Maryam’s Joyful Life! Today is Day 7 of December, and I’m coming to you with a powerful insight I received from my amazing pastor and mentor, RealTalkKim.

I was watching her podcast episode from December 3rd titled “Find Your Balance” (you can find it on YouTube on the RealTalkKim channel), and she said something that hit me deep.

She talked about how when you don’t know how to say no, you slowly become everyone else’s tool. You become a puppet—pulled in every direction—and eventually, you burn out, grow resentful, and lose yourself. Whew… that one went straight to my heart.

One thing she said that I’ll never forget is this:

People who get mad at your “no” were never your people in the first place.

Let that sink in.

And then she added something else that struck me even harder:

Don’t let someone else’s urgency become your urgency.

So many of us get caught up in other people’s emergencies, feelings, or expectations. If we’re not intentional and mindful, we get sucked into problems that were never ours to carry. Emotions are magnetic—especially for those of us who naturally feel deeply. I know this firsthand.

When emotional people come to you with their overwhelm, their energy can sweep you right into a storm. Before you know it, your peace is gone, your mind is racing, your chest is tight, and your whole day gets hijacked. When emotions run your life, happiness becomes unpredictable—up today, down tomorrow—and you lose the ability to rest.

So today, I want to encourage you the same way Pastor Kim encouraged me:

When your mind starts racing, when anxiety creeps up, stop and breathe.

Try this grounding mantra she shared:

Inhale: 1, 2, 3 — exhale: Holy Ghost.

Inhale: 1, 2, 3 — exhale: Holy Ghost.

Say it slowly. Let your body settle. Let your spirit find peace.

Because the truth is this:

You have one life that you know you’re living right now. If you spend it stressed out, overcommitted, and constantly trying to please everyone, you will never fully live or enjoy it.

You shouldn’t reach the end of your life filled with regret because you were afraid of disappointing people… afraid of saying no.

Remember this:

When you say yes to everyone else, all the time, you’re saying no to yourself.

You’re taking away the time you need to rest, reset, reflect, and pour back into your own soul. Without that space, without that self-care, without that renewal, you have nothing healthy left to pour into others. You serve from emptiness, which leads to frustration, irritability, and emotional exhaustion. That helps no one.

So today, hear my heart:

It is okay to say no.

It is okay to rest.

It is okay to pamper yourself.

It is okay to pause.

When your cup is full, everything you give comes from overflow, not depletion. And that overflow is where joy lives. That’s where grace lives. That’s where love flows from.

Serve from fullness—not survival.

And if you need support with personal development, mindset work, emotional balance, and learning how to navigate this life with confidence and peace, I’ve created powerful programs designed to help you. These come from my own experiences and the tools that have helped me shift my mind, heal, and grow.

👉 Visit: www.mariamsjoyfullife.com

Sign up for the program that resonates with you, and let me support you on your next breakthrough.

If you also need rest and want to create beautiful memories—solo, with your spouse, your family, or your friends—I also have the perfect travel deals and curated experiences to help you recharge.

👉 Travel site: www.mariamsjoyfullifeluxuryvacation.com

Find your next getaway and give yourself permission to breathe again.

We don’t need any more emotional chaos or psychic pollution in this world. We need more peace. More joy. More intentional living. More people choosing themselves so they can show up better for others.

So on this Day 7 of December…

Be your best self.

Protect your peace.

And most importantly—say no.

You deserve a life that feels good on the inside.

And it starts with boundaries.

Have an amazing day, beautiful soul. You’ve got this. 💛

Day Six: The Power of Self-Observation, Self-Talk, and Saying “No” Without Guilt

 

Day Six: The Power of Self-Observation, Self-Talk, and Saying “No” Without Guilt

What’s up, wonderful people? It is day six in December, and I’m feeling grateful, excited, and fully present for today. It’s such a beautiful day, and I wanted to bring your attention to something that’s been unfolding in my own life—something subtle, but powerful.

Over the past few days, I’ve noticed a pattern in myself. Whenever someone asks me for something and I don’t have it, I catch myself feeling bad. Not because I didn’t want to help, but because I couldn’t—I simply didn’t have what they needed at that moment. And instead of letting that be okay, I would start beating myself up with thoughts like,

“Why didn’t I have it?”

“I should’ve been prepared.”

“I should’ve had more.”

But here’s the reality: even with a pure heart and the desire to help, sometimes we just don’t have what people are asking for—and that doesn’t make us wrong or irresponsible.

This awareness came from actively practicing something my coach, Arash from Voss Coaching Corps, emphasizes: study yourself. If you want quantum leaps, breakthroughs, and big dreams to come alive, you must pay attention to your inner dialogue and how you treat yourself.

And because of that teaching, I’ve been consciously observing myself. The more I watched, the more I realized how quickly I slipped into guilt over something that wasn’t wrong at all.

So I asked myself a real question:

Why do I let myself feel bad for not having what someone else asked for?

It’s not like I’m hiding anything. I simply didn’t have it.

And even if I did have it and didn’t want to give it, that’s still okay. Another lesson for another day: “No” is a full sentence. You are not obligated to say yes every time someone makes a request. You’re not required to stretch yourself thin to make everyone else comfortable.

Could it be…?

Could it be that one of the reasons our bigger goals haven’t materialized yet is because we’ve subconsciously accepted a harmful belief?

A belief that says:

• We must always have whatever someone asks for
• We must always show up, even when it hurts
• We must always give, even when we’re empty
• We must always say yes, even when we’re uncomfortable
• If we can’t give, we must feel guilty, ashamed, or “less than”

Could it be that this pattern—this quiet self-sacrifice—is blocking the very breakthroughs we’re praying for?

Could it be that the reason some people aren’t living their best lives yet is because they carry a belief that says they can’t disappoint others… even if it means disappointing themselves?

Let’s shift that today.

I want to encourage you:

You don’t have to live that way.

You don’t have to feel bad.

You don’t have to say yes every time.

Your no is valid. Your no is enough. Your no is complete.

If someone asks you for something and you don’t have it, it is fully okay to say no without shame, guilt, or explanation.

And whenever that old voice of guilt tries to creep in… talk back to it.

Sometimes I literally tell myself:

“Shut up, Mariam. Be quiet. It’s okay.”

Because it is okay. Truly.

You haven’t always received everything you’ve asked from people. And yet life went on. So why hold yourself to a harsher standard than you hold anyone else?

Where it really comes from

A lot of this “I must always show up” behavior comes from low self-esteem or old childhood wounds—being treated poorly, criticized, or being told we weren’t good enough unless we were useful.

But today I’m reminding you:

You don’t owe anyone everything.

You don’t have to be available for every request.

You don’t have to sacrifice your peace to avoid disappointing others.

You deserve grace.

You deserve compassion.

You deserve space to grow, to rest, to be human.

Final encouragement

Let today be the day you upgrade your self-talk.

Let today be the day you release guilt around saying no.

Let today be the day you show yourself mercy the same way you show it to others.

You are allowed to honor your needs.

You are allowed to protect your energy.

You are allowed to say no without feeling bad.

And you are absolutely allowed to live your life with confidence, clarity, and peace.