There’s a hint of year end in the air and life seems to be even more frenetic and stressful than it has been since the start. You need every minute you can find to do what you absolutely must do, but somehow it’s eaten up by the needs and demands of others.
It’s time to revisit the fine art of saying no. Think of all the people to whom you wish you could say it.
1.Your boss who prefers late evening meetings because his home life is a disaster area
2.The colleague who spends half of every day moaning about personal problems
3.The friend or family member with the hectic social life who palms her kids off on you
4.Your sibling who wants to borrow money – again – when they still owe you from last time
How often do you say: ‘Yes, of course, it’s no problem’ when you really want to say: ‘No, I can’t. I won’t. And I’m sorry I ever gave you to believe I would.’
We say yes to be helpful and to gain approval; and because we’re scared of being thought selfish and uncaring. But it comes at the price of our becoming resentful, exhausted and eventually spiteful. Next chance you get, try no instead.
Decide what’s really important to you so you have a basis for your decision.
Give your reasons for saying no.
Then say it!
It could be the most effective thing you’ve ever done to reduce your stress level.
