5 Steps to Honoring Yourself by Knowing When to Say No

Uncategorized Aug 16, 2019

5 Steps to Honoring Yourself by Knowing When to Say No

Life is too short to spend your time feeling resentful, depressed and angry. But that’s sometimes easier said than done. We all have our moments where we’re a little down. Think how different life could be though if you could avoid all those bad feelings by just using one little word: No.

Saying ‘no’ is one of those powerful things that we don’t always use when we should. That’s because we get caught up in worry about how others will think of us if we do, or we feel like we're selfish when we refuse to help out.

But true happiness lies in honoring yourself, and in taking care of you. After all, you can’t help anyone unless you’re in a place where you can be helpful. That means saying ‘no’ when you need to. The question now becomes – how do you know when to say ‘no’?

It’s simpler than it sounds. Below are five simple steps that will get you there – and on the road to peace and well-being.

How do you feel about the request? Pay attention to your emotions. Does anything about the request cause disquiet – a feeling of unhappiness, heaviness, or reluctance? It could be your subconscious is trying to tell you something.

Ask yourself if you want to do this. By asking yourself consciously, you’re forced to slow down and figure out what you indeed want. Can’t answer? Then sit down with a friend or mentor and talk it through with them.

Take some time. Not answering right away gives you time to consider the pros and cons. Check your schedule, and figure out how you genuinely feel. Give yourself the ability to sleep on it before going any further.

Ditch the long, drawn out excuses. Keep it simple and merely say ‘no.’ You don’t owe anyone an explanation.

If all this is still hard, cultivate the habit of ‘no.’ Do this by practicing saying ‘no’ to the smaller things, and then work up to saying no to the more significant stuff. Like with anything, the more you use it, the easier it gets.

Saying ‘no’ doesn’t have to be difficult. Imagine not having to compromise yourself anymore. There’s no need to be pulled into a life of being over committed, overworked, and overwrought. Instead, honor yourself in the best possible way by pursuing happiness and by doing the things that are truly best for you.

Hope this helps in your challenging situations.