March 28. Earth 🜃: The Body and the Mundane
Saying “no” can be hard.
The first few times I practiced saying “no,” I came off as insensitive, even rude. I had to muster up all my strength and get a little angry in order to say no.
If I wasn’t rude about it, I would switch to saying no with a whiny voice, over-explaining why I could not possibly meet another’s need, and playing the martyr.
Eventually, I learned that I can say no with little to no explanation. My no can be warm and sincere. People can trust that I have clear boundaries, and that my no means I choose not to with an undisclosed but acceptable reason, period. If I do explain myself, it is not because I need approval. It is only because I was asked. I can say no out of self-respect and this helps others to respect me.
Related Expertise
“Even though a task feels like too much, you might assume that you can handle it. Or you might want to be known as the person who can handle it. Either way, it ends up piling a lot of unnecessary stress and work on your shoulders” (E. Scott, 2022).
Inspired Action
Have you recently said yes to something that was not authentically a good choice for you at that time? Most people do not want to be selfish. But occasionally, our selfishness will create balance and health, which allows us to say yes when it is truly more manageable.
