#8: Saying No Doesn’t Mean You’re A Bad Person

It’s hard to say no sometimes.  It can feel like you’re being selfish or rude and not putting others first.  But is it really selfish to place a value on your own needs?  Perhaps saying “no” in certain situations is exactly what is best for you and everyone else.  If we said yes to every demand on our time and attention, we would quickly find ourselves feeling drained, anxious and overwhelmed.  How is that helpful?

We can easily get caught up in pleasing other people that we forget to take care of our own needs. Whether it be an invitation to go out, a call from a colleague or a simple request for our time, it’s imperative that we validate our own needs and be ok with disappointing people sometimes.  

Think about why you say yes to things.  Is it because you have a genuine responsibility or desire to do that thing?  Or is your motivation driven by a fear of what people will think?  Or perhaps a fear of rejection or the feeling of being guilty for not doing what the other person wants?  Making decisions from that place is not sustainable.  We need to come to a place where we are aware of ourselves, aware of the fears that have held us back, and choose to make our decisions from a place of freedom.  Freedom will always produce a better result than fear.

Today I share about my personal journey of learning how to say “no”.  I don’t fear what other people will think anymore, I value myself and my own needs and it enables me to give more to the people around me.  It’s my hope that you too would discover this freedom and break the old habits in your own lives to bring freedom to yourself and those around you.

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Thanks for listening to another episode of It Ain’t Weak to Speak with Sam Webb.

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