From an early age we are taught that the word “no” has negative connotations. It is not nice to say no to someone; it is disrespectful to say no to our parents; it is rude to respond no to invitations when we don't have a valid reason not to attend. The only time we are truly encouraged to say no is when someone presents us with something that is unarguably bad for us, like our D.A.R.E. classes told us to say no to drugs or our parents told us as children to say no when a stranger offers us a ride home from school.
But what about those times when saying no can actually enhance our personal well-being?
I have found as I have gotten older that my first inclination when someone asks me for a favor or asks me to go somewhere is immediately yes. If I am free at that time or I don’t have an excuse other than my own laziness, the only answer I should give is an affirmative one. I over commit myself or I find myself dreading my plans on the days that I’m in a bad mood because I made the plans when I was in a good one.
A common misconception in life is that saying no solely means having a negative attitude. We all know at least one Negative Nelly in our lives — the type of person who is just so downright miserable about everything that every other word out of their mouth is no. We never want to be this person, so we fill our lives with "yeses" that keep us from becoming another Nelly. The word “no” becomes taboo for us, and so we continue our lives without realizing the true power behind the simple two letter word.
When we say no, we are really taking control of our lives. We are deciding when something is really important to us and when something is not. The power of no is really the key to a more successful life if we make a conscious effort to say it more. We can save time, energy, and money when we overcome the pressures of saying yes to things that don't actually benefit our lives. Shouting a no is better than whispering a yes — a single syllable can speak great volumes.
Two negatives make a positive — so if you say no to anything that is bad for your own happiness, you will get a positive outcome. You will feel so much better about yourself when you focus on the aspects of your life that add value rather than trying to please other people.
At the end of the day, we are the only ones who have the power to control our own fate. Saying no more often is a simple way to make sure we stay on that path to happiness and success, even if society has told us otherwise in the past.
