It’s Ok to Say No

Have you ever felt overwhelmed from the requests on your time? I know I have at times. It is natural to have times of more activity in our lives than usual. There can be occasions when we agree to demands on our time, attention and resources when what we really want to say is no. For some reason we agree instead of honoring what we know to be right for us.

It is ok to say no! We don’t have to feel obligated or guilty with our decision. I believe it is healthy to say no whenever we want. Yes I did say, “whenever we want.” When we ignore or override our right to say no we often end up feeling put upon or resentful. Those feelings have a way of coming out sideways. When they do we and those around us feel their impact, typically in not so nice ways.

Maybe you are a bit out of touch with instances where you really would like to say no. It could be that you are so conditioned to say yes all the time that you don’t recognize you wanted to say no until you are experiencing resentment or another emotion. Tell yourself now that it is ok to say no. When someone puts a request or demand on you, stop for a moment and check in with yourself. Take a moment to ask, “Do I want to say yes or do I want to say no?” Proceed forward with the answer you receive. If it is no, remember it’s ok to say no. This is healthy and you are taking a step toward harmony within yourself. This form of authenticity benefits us all.

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