How many times have you said yes to something only to avoid tension or to avoid disappointing someone? Although it's an easy and quick answer to please others, learning to say no is essential for your happiness and well-being.
Although sometimes you do need to commit to something that you just don't want to do, here are a few tips to help you feel good about saying no when saying no is the right thing to do:
- If the thing that you feel pressure to say yes to is an impractical use of your time and adds little value to your life, say no thank you.
- Don't overcommit. Saying yes to everything adds to the feeling of being overwhelmed. You get to control your calendar.
- Don't be so quick to say yes to texts, emails or face-to-face requests. Politely respond "Thank you for the invite/offer. I'll check my schedule and get back to you." Be sure to respond back with your final decision.
- You don't need to justify your reason for saying no. Keep your response simple.
- Say no with an alternative. If the initial request is not something that you want to say yes to, propose an alternative. For example, if you say no to a friend who invited you to an event, propose getting together (just you and your friend) in a more intimate setting.
- Remind yourself that no isn't a rejection of the other person. Saying no to unimportant tasks/events saves time for you to say yes to things that bring you pleasure and happiness.
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