Do you ever freeze when someone asks if you want to do something, or if you could do something, or if you like something and say yes to something when instead you really just want to say no? Well I have, and honestly it is something that happens frequently. Now, let me clarify something. I don’t mind helping people or being around people, but the problem is that I hardly ever say no, and I’ve come to realize recently that people are expecting me to say yes. I’ve also noticed that they tend to take advantage. In fact, most people don’t even ask things anymore, they just tell me to do something and they know that I will do it. The thing is that it’s not their fault. I’ve allowed it to happen for my 23 years of existence. Sometimes I think that if you were to draw a visual of who I’ve become, it may be a heavily traveled doormat. Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you and I maybe a lot alike. We just don’t stand up for ourselves, but we are tired of the results. So here’s my proposal. And it is one that I have made before. Just say no. I know, believe me I know. The thought of that is pretty heavy. The guilt starts before you even get in the situation, and you don’t even know what’s the situation is yet. But here’s the thing, it’s okay for us to say no to things. And just so you would believe me, I gave it a try before I wrote this. So let me tell you what happened.

1. There are people who are only there to take advantage of you leave.

The person I called "my best friend". There was a time that I would literally stop everything that I was doing, to accommodate this person. I left halfway through dinners, I stopped people half way through conversations, basically I completely isolated myself from the people who were around me. You see, even when I was doing all of that, this person made it a point to tell me that I wasn't doing enough.

2. People still expect me to just automatically say yes, and proceed to get offended when I say no.

I hate that I can't be the yes man, but I have already broken once from over extending myself, I can't do it again.

3. I made better grades.

I don't make myself my number one priority, but I have at least begun making myself a priority. After doing that, I began to breathe again.

4. I had less anxiety attacks.

I was at the point to where I was having multiple anxiety attacks per week, my hair was falling out, and I maybe got four hours of sleep at night. Now, I still have anxiety, but I think I have lessened my chances of an anxiety induced heart attack or stroke. And I am up to six or seven hours of sleep. (I'm working on re-growing patches of hair).

5. I can breathe.

I know that it sounds weird, but I honestly feel like I can actually breathe better than before.