The word "no" carries a great amount of weight. Most people find it hard to deny others and possibly let them down. Why is it so hard to say no though? Is it because of the fact that no one ever says no to us? Being comfortable with saying "no" more often to people is an important skill.

In today's society, people are unused to hearing the word "no." No one wants to be denied whether it be when they ask for a slice of pizza or a loan of $1000. We want everything our way and the obstacle of denial dishevels and catches us off guard. Denial catches you off guard, it's different from when you go into a test that you know you're going to fail. It's unexpected like a slap in the face and hurts just as much.

Why is it so hard so hard to say "no" you might ask? The reason is no one wants to say no, especially to a friend. It's easy to say no to an acquaintance or someone we do not like. Saying no is tough in a say "yes" society. Breaking the cycle is strange and uncommon since rejection breeds resentment. No one wants to be the bad guy who steps up and disagrees with the majority. Our inner instincts lead us to agree with ridiculous requests and tasks we don't want to do however we still have the choice to disagree and we do not.

We now know why it is tough to disagree saying "no" but how do we normalize this action? As a society, we must accept it when someone says no without resentment or liberation. When someone rejects your request there is an instant reaction to returning back with anger and conflict. We must foster a society that does not allow things like this to happen by giving the expectation of acceptance of the answer "no."

Society has to move away from overlooking those who cannot take no for an answer. Those who continue to go against the grain and force their opinions or will onto others. This is unacceptable and is a precursor to larger issues. There is no way to discipline those who cannot take no for answer but to ignore them or set the expectation and a consequence.

The weight of the word "no" transcended generations garnering similar reactions across all ages. No one enjoys being denied but we as a society must set our standards and expectations when one is. We have to hold each other accountable and be honest with ourselves when we do not want to do something. Saying "no" is ok and should be cherished in a day "yes" culture.