Saying No is Good for You

I have to admit that I was a people pleaser for a very long time in my career. I would say yes to just about anything because I thought that was one of the ways to succeed in the workplace. I was all over the place and others priorities become my priorities to the determent of my physical and mental health.

Setting boundaries—is one of the most important skills to master for both personal and professional growth. When you say no to the things that don’t help you, you are, in effect, saying yes to the things that will.

For some of us, saying no is very difficult. I wanted to be like, the go to person, be seen as a team player, I didn’t want to hurt feelings by closing a door or saying no to an opportunity. For some reason I felt guilty if I didn’t say yes or maybe I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it all. I found out the hard way that I could not do it all!

Saying yes to too many things can be overwhelming and against your own self-interest. By saying yes to too many things, we may be saying no to some very important things. If your plate is too full, there’s no room for the unexpected or ideal opportunity.

The thing about saying yes and getting tasks done – without caring for yourself and your needs – is that more people ask you to do stuff, and it is kind of flattering.  You want to be nice but all of a sudden, you realize that 80 percent of your good time is taken up by stuff that is not so good. 

Your happiness and peace of mind will be made up of the choices that you make. If you’re not sure about something, say no to it. If you’re hesitant because you know deep inside your heart that you’re not too thrilled about the idea, say no. 

If it’s not really what you want, say no!