This is an adapted transcript from the Love To Lead Podcast. Listen to the full episode 3 Signs Your Body Is Telling You to Say No to an Opportunity — Even If It Looks Perfect on Paper) here.

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Today I want to talk about something that so many women in business experience, but we rarely say out loud.

There’s a moment when your business is finally growing. Your visibility is increasing. The opportunities you’ve prayed for are landing in your lap.

And instead of feeling excited…your body starts shutting down.

I had a friend reach out to me recently. She’s a mom. She’s a business owner. She’s an incredible service provider. Her business is not struggling. In fact, it’s thriving.

She’s in a season where visibility has opened the floodgates.

More people are finding her.
More people want to work with her.
More referrals are rolling in.

She’s getting opportunities that perfectly match her expertise.

From the outside, this is the dream. From the outside, everyone would say, “You’d be crazy not to take that.”

But she reached out because all of this visibility — all of these opportunities — are hitting up against a very real, very human truth:

The more you let in, the more you have to protect what matters most.

And she’s in a moment where her body is telling her, “This isn’t right. Not right now.”

When an Opportunity Looks Perfect — But Your Body Says No

One opportunity in particular came in through a trusted referral partner. A high-profile, deeply aligned project. It checked all the boxes.

This is the kind of opportunity that, on paper, you circle, highlight, screenshot, and celebrate.

But when she listened to the voicemail…

Her chest tightened.
Her cortisol spiked.
Her breath got shallow.
She wanted to cry.

Not because she isn’t capable.
Not because she isn’t grateful.
Not because she’s not good at what she does.

But because her capacity — in this season — is limited.

And not limited because she’s failing.
Not limited because she’s disorganized.
Not limited because she’s “not cut out for it.”

Her capacity is limited because she is a whole human navigating real life, real responsibilities, and a real nervous system. And she’s trying to honor that.

She told me, “I would feel so relieved if I didn’t take it… but I feel like I’d regret it if I said no.” And that right there — that tension between relief and regret — is where so many women get stuck.

What No One Prepares Women For

This is the part nobody prepares us for.

We are taught to chase opportunity.
We are taught that success means saying yes.
We are taught that more visibility is the goal.

But what we’re not taught is how to discern when something is good… but not good for you.

We’re not taught to trust the wisdom of our bodies.
We’re not taught to honor our actual capacity.
And we’re certainly not taught how to say no to something everyone else thinks we should say yes to.

Today, we’re going there.

Two Kinds of Limited Capacity

Not all limited capacity is the same.
And not all “no’s” come from the same place.

1. Survival-Mode Capacity

This is when burnout has reduced your bandwidth so low that everything feels overwhelming.

Even small tasks feel like pressure. You avoid emails and calls. Good things don’t feel good. Your body is constantly bracing. Your thoughts feel foggy. You need quiet more than you need progress.

This is not a season for taking on more. This is a season for stabilization — for insulating yourself, healing, and reclaiming your energy. Here, saying no is not only wise. It’s necessary.

2. Filtered Capacity

This one is talked about far less.

This is when your capacity is limited on purpose. Not because you are overwhelmed — but because you’re discerning.

Your values are clearer.
Your boundaries are stronger.
Your priorities are more defined.

You’ve grown — and because you’ve grown, not everything gets access to you anymore.

You’re not saying no because you can’t handle something.
You’re saying no because you choose not to.

You’re honoring your family. Your nervous system. Your calling. Your peace. Your long-term sustainability.

And here’s the truth: women don’t get celebrated for this enough.

We get praised for capacity, not discernment.
We get praised for doing it all, not choosing wisely.
We get praised for saying yes, not for protecting what matters.

But filtered capacity is leadership. Doing less is leadership. Honoring yourself is leadership. And saying no — even to the beautiful things — is leadership.

How Your Body Makes Spirit-Led Decisions

Here’s what I want every woman to hear:

Your body is not dramatic.
Your body is directional.

When an opportunity lands and your whole system tenses — listen.
When you feel dread instead of peace — listen.
When something feels urgent, rushed, or heavy — listen.
When your spirit whispers, “not this, not now” — listen.

God doesn’t lead through panic.
He doesn’t lead through pressure.

He leads through peace.

Sometimes He uses the nervous system He created in you to draw a line in the sand.

The Permission You Might Be Waiting For

If no one has told you this before, let me be the one to say it:

You are allowed to say no, even when the opportunity looks incredible.
You are allowed to say no, even when everyone else says yes.
You are allowed to say no, even when people won’t understand.
You are allowed to say no, even when it looks “crazy” from the outside.

Because here’s the truth: You don’t build a meaningful, whole, peaceful business by accepting every opportunity. You build it by accepting the right ones.

And the right ones will never require you to abandon your values, your health, your peace, or your family.

You are not broken for needing boundaries.
You are not failing because you’re tired.
You are not ungrateful because you choose sustainability.
You are not missing your moment when you honor your humanity.

You are leading.

Listen to the full episode 3 Signs Your Body Is Telling You to Say No to an Opportunity — Even If It Looks Perfect on Paper) here.