Have you ever felt like you’ve had enough? Have you ever wished that you could put your feet down and finally say no? I know I have, a lot of times. But the unfortunate thing is we always end up saying yes and we always end up committing to something we don’t even like to start with. We are often so afraid to utter the word NO, that we end up giving in but don’t worry, this is completely normal; it’s human nature.
But the problem is if we keep saying yes, if we keep overcommitting to things that we don’t love, to things that are not making us happy, it slowly sucks the life out of us. Trust me, I’ve been through that road and the results are just soul sucking. Don’t wait until your energy and patience runs out; start doing the right thing for YOURSELF.
And with the help of these 4 simple tips, it will make saying No a lot easier (without the feeling of guilt) and of course without us sounding like a complete jerk.
Say It
Always keep your response simple. Try not to beat around the bush or make up lame excuses. If you want to say no, just say the word and of course you can add a little explanation if you want to but remember the simpler, the better.
Be firm
Always stand by your decision, if a friend or someone is not able to accept your NO, don’t feel obligated to give in and say yes. That is definitely not the case. Remember anyone who truly respects you will always accept whatever decision you have.
Always be assertive but courteous
Remember that you are the person in control. Show them that you are in charge but of course find a polite approach to do it. You can use phrases like, “I appreciate your time, however I have too much on my plate right now” or you can simply use, “ No thanks, I think I’ll pass maybe next time”.
Be selfish
Learn to prioritize yourself. Remember that it’s not bad to think of yourself for once or even twice (or thrice) ooh, you get what I mean.
I know we often say yes to things that are not our priority just because we are too afraid of what people might think. Well, you know what? People will always find a way to judge us anyway and that’s why this year I decided that this will be my year of No’s, I just started doing it and let me tell you, it feels AMAZZZZZIIING. So for once make the change and just say NO.