WHY IS ‘NO’ SUCH A HARD WORD FOR PEOPLE TO USE?

The song says ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ but in actual fact, I think it is ‘no’. It is almost as if we are conditioned to feel bad for saying no to people? Maybe that comes from when we are younger and we are told ‘no’ we are being told off or not to do something. The reinforcement of that word has lead us to feel bad when using it on others as if we are telling them off. Curious! 

I used to have such a hard time with the word ‘no’ before I used it freely for the first time. Being able to respond to someone by saying no and not feeling any need to explain yourself, that is quite a freeing feeling. Nobody ever expects you to just say no, most people probably expect you to say yes and then make up an excuse later! 

Here is a challenge for you! Say no to somebody. If someone asks you to do something that you do not want to do or asks a question and you think about lying rather than being honest because the answer is ‘no’, just do it. Be open, be honest and tell them no. Learn to say no without explaining yourself because not everybody and not everything needs explaining! Just do not get yourself the sack by refusing to do something you might have to do... 

At the end of the day your life is yours to be lived and if there is something you do not want to do, do not do it. Do not stress yourself out because of your inability to say no. Forget excuses and knowing you will not do it anyway, just say no. It is not easy at first but it becomes quite relieving and addictive after a while! 

Good luck. 

YOU’RE PERFECTLY CAPABLE.