I met a woman yesterday who reminded me of something I often tell my clients who feel overwhelmed by the many roles they play in life. “No.” she said, “Is a complete sentence.”
Those of us who find joy in alleviating the burdens of others, may not always recognize the burdens we are creating for ourselves. Before we know it we are too tired, sick, or overwhelmed to live up to our commitments. We have depleted our best-self and are moving dangerously close to the dark side of our personality. Yeah, we know what that looks like!
If you have trouble saying “no” and are taking on more than you can handle, consider practicing a few easy ways to decline a request from a family member, a co-worker, even your boss. Pay attention to what it feels like when you say the word out loud. And if that nagging belief comes up that tells you if you say “no”, you won’t be liked, ask yourself if that is really true. Chances are a polite decline will still make you lovable.
Warmly,
Dawn