“No” is hard for many people to say. This tiny two-lettered word may be intimidating for you to use but has such a powerful meaning when used as a way to stand up yourself. Whether you feel like you are being walked all over, already overwhelmed with too many tasks, or just need a way out of people pleasing, finding your voice to set healthy boundaries by just saying “no” can be liberating to say the least.

Be creative with your words.

“No” is considered an entire sentence and sometimes only saying “no” can come across as being derogatory. By adding something positive into the sentence, you can change the tone of what you are trying to get across. Thank you for thinking of me for this project. I have so much going on that I cannot give it the time that it needs even though it looks like a great opportunity for someone!  

You do not have to commit right away.

Taking time to think the decision through is a smart idea. You may need to check your calendar or talk to your loved ones to get a second opinion before you agree. If you are saying “yes” to everything, you are putting yourself in position to be inundated. When you take the time to think about how this will affect your life, you can come up with a logical choice in the matter.

No does not mean yes.

People will often try to convince you to do something for them that is not necessarily beneficial for you. Stand your ground when it means having to come to a conclusion for what works best for you. Once someone questions your loyalty, you can tell them that this is an instance that you must remain true to yourself.

Stick to the truth.

Sometimes it may seem easy to give an excuse that may be a little white lie or a full-on fabrication to get out of what you do not want to do. Honesty is the best policy. Karma has a way of coming back to haunt you when you are deceitful with your words. After you fib, you will spend the rest of your days having to cover up the deception that you put out there.

Saying “no” is hard to do, but if you have to turn something down, it is okay. Learning how to decline gracefully is a considerate action to take that will actually help you to build some self-assurance through just saying no.

Call us today to get started!

888-226-7413