If you want to always stay productive and minimize the stress in your life, you should definitely learn the gentle art of saying no. I know you want to help the people around you, yet sometimes, such a thing is not possible, especially when you take too many commitments and you barely have enough time for yourself. I know that saying no to someone, especially to someone you love, is not a fun thing to do, yet it’s necessary if you care about your well-being. Just remember: every time you are saying yes to something you don’t want to do, you’re actually saying no to yourself. This is a skill you’ll have to develop, so you’ll be able to protect your priorities, your time and why not, your happiness. Here are a few very useful tips for learning the gentle art of saying no that you should consider if you want to learn how to say no in a respectful and courteous manner:
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Value Your Time
Always value your time and your priorities! You don’t have to give the other person too many details about why you are saying no. It’s your right to do so and if you consider that you can’t help someone because you have too many commitments, then you should just be honest with them and tell them no in a polite and brief manner. You’re only human after all, you have your own limits. There are things you just don’t have time for, no matter how much you would like to help that person, so this is definitely one of the things you should keep in mind when you are learning the gentle art of saying no.
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Be Firm!
When you are saying no to someone, be firm in your approach and just remember that you can’t please everyone all the time, no matter how hard you would try. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion and so are you. Just let them know you wish you could say yes, but at the moment, you just can’t do that. Be nice to yourself and respect your priorities. Set limits and ask others to respect them.
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Don’t Apologize!
You have nothing to apologize for. You wish you could have helped someone, yet you don’t have the time to do it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. While it’s extremely important to be polite when you are saying no to someone, you need to be firm, because if you keep apologizing, you will make it sound like you are at fault and it’s not the case. You don’t need to be apologetic for valuing your time and your priorities.
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Practice Saying No
If you want to learn the gentle art of saying no, you should practice it as often as possible. You know what they say: practice makes perfect. What better way to master this art and feel comfortable with saying no, than by repeating this word every time you have the chance to do it? You can practice it while looking in the mirror or with one of your friends, while you’re role-playing.
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Offer Alternatives
When you’re saying no to someone, it’s best if you could offer them some alternatives. You could recommend someone else who might help them or if you can, you could even offer to help them yourself later, when you have the time to do it. Also, you could show them how to solve their problem by themselves if such a thing is possible. Show them you care but you have other things you need to take care of, so you just cannot help them, no matter how much you would like that.
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To give oneself earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.
Don’t Make the No Personal!
Don’t make the no personal! When someone is asking something from you and you have to say no so you can protect your well-being, make sure it doesn’t seem like you’re saying no because you don’t like them and that’s why you don’t want to help them. Just let them know why you have to say no this time and be firm with your decision!
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Show Them You Thought It over before Saying No
Show them you’ve analyzed their request and that you thought it over before saying no. You tried to find a solution, yet you realized you don’t have the time to offer your help, so maybe next time, you will be able to grant their request. Show them that you took the time to understand their request, yet you have to turn it down, since you are not able to help them at the moment.
Don’t feel guilty for saying no! You just can’t help everyone all the time. Sometimes, by saying no to someone, you’ll actually help them, because they will have to do things they never though they are capable of, thus you will help them improve their self-confidence and boost their self-esteem. Do you have any difficulties with saying no to people? Do you know any other useful tips for learning the gentle art of saying no? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
Sources: lifehack.org, fsap.cornell.edu, breaktheframe.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, artofmanliness.com
