How to Say No (Just Do It)

Sometimes a person gets asked to do something that a person should not do. For instance, I was recently asked to speak in front of some people. This is something I should not do. Another time, I was asked to go to a bar when I should have been working. This is also something I should not do. I said “yes” to both of these things. Mistakes, those yeses. But yes is so easy. It just rolls of the tongue. Yes. Yes. Yessssssss.

Perhaps you’ve also said “yes” when you should have said “no.” It happens to the very best of us. But let it never happen again.

Time to practice.

They say: “Will you speak in front of some people?”

You say: “No.”

They say: “Will you come to the bar with me?”

You say: “No.”

They say: “Will you do this project that you don’t want to do, but probably should do?”

You say: “No.”

Practice all day. No, no, no. What a word. (“Do you want some water?” “No.” “Can I hold this door for you?” “No.”) Once you master this very important skill, then perhaps you will be ready for the advanced technique of saying no to yourself.

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