You’ve probably heard that it’s OK to say ‘no’ to others, but that doesn’t make it any easier to say.
Well, here’s some tips to help you learn how to say it, and the two main reasons we say YES to others (and NO to ourselves).
Reason #1) Unaware of your values – If you know your values, or what’s important to you, it’s much easier to say no to things that are not in alignment with your values. If you don’t know or are not clear on your values, it’s easier to slip into reason #2…
Reason #2) Seeking approval from others – Many of us walk around feeling like we’re “Not good enough.” This limiting belief causes us to seek the approval and appreciation of others, so we’re more apt to say yes to something in order to gain that approval. The reality is that until we accept ourselves as good enough and get rid of that limiting belief, it’s highly likely we’ll continue that trend.
Tips to say “No!”
- Become aware of your values and live by them. Put your more important things first.
- Let go of the limiting belief that’s causing you to feel “not good enough” once and for all.
- Practice saying no. Get a friend and ask them to ask you several questions, and answer no to each one so you get practice learning to use this word effectively.
- Appreciate yourself when you do say no, and recognize what you said yes to.
- Use the phrase “That won’t work for me.” No one can argue with this, because YOU make the decision that it won’t work for you.
I hope this advice was helpful, and that you’ll be saying ‘no’ more often to others, and saying ‘yes’ to yourself!
