Day 258
Affirmation:
I am empowered with choice and the right to say no.
I know how to assert myself and say no.
I know how to be honest and say no.
I do not make excuses, I just say no.
I do not say yes or maybe when I mean no, I just say no.
The neighbor, sweet as she is, needs another ride somewhere. You have the time but really don’t want to play chauffeur right now. Maybe you just got home. Maybe you’re tired. You volley your options back and forth as she stands at your door waiting for an answer. You find yourself saying, “Sure, give me a minute.” Later you’ll berate yourself for answering the door, though you might be better off wondering why you couldn’t find the word no in your vocabulary.
It’s such a little word, but those two letters must hold some tremendously big power for so many to avoid using them. Perhaps we don’t like to say no because we don’t like to hear it, or maybe we learned as children that it was not okay to say no. Sometimes we feel selfish or hurtful saying no, or are afraid of losing the good opinion of others. Sometimes we’re afraid of losing something else – a relationship, a job, a possibility. Whatever the reason, the result of not being able to say no can be ugly. Being resentful, acting as a martyr or passive-aggressively, making excuses, dodging questions, and lacking healthy boundaries are often the unwanted by-products.
On the other hand, it’s really amazing what happens when we do start saying no. People respect us. They respect our empowerment, our directness, our honesty, and our ability to do what so many cannot. And by asserting ourselves, we promote our own healthy self-esteem and start expecting others to do the same. The next time someone asks you, “Do you want to… (fill in the blank)?” Answer honestly. If you don’t want to, say no, then see what happens. You might be shocked to realize how good a gentle, courteous “No.” can feel.
An excellent companion for this affirmation:
365 Days of Inspiration 
tHIS IS SO VERY TRUE, BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO DO TO HELP EVEN IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT, BUT ONCE YOU HAVE YOU WILL FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF.
rECENTLY A FRIEND OF MINE HAD A VERY BAD FALL AND HAS BEEN IN HOSPITAL FOR OVER A MONTH, AND AS HAPPENS AFTER A TIME VISITORS DROP BY THE WAYSIDE, WELL i GO UP AND SIT AND TALK FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE HAVE A GREAT TIME TALKING ABOUT WORLD NEWS, ETC.
Sorry about the caps didn’t mean to.
Robyn, I completely agree with you. Helping others is more often than not the right thing to do. I assume the reader of my blog knows that I endorse and encourage giving to and serving others and so I didn’t make that clarification in this article, which is speaking about the UN-healthy inability to say no. By the way, I think your friend who fell is very fortunate to have your loving giving spirit in their life!
And thanks for the read!