A 'Yes' can change your life if it is said at the right moment and in the right situation. Although, nobody likes rejection, it sometimes, is more meaningful to say no than yes. It's easy to feel like we need to say yes to people we encounter for various social reasons, however, this belief is at many times baseless. One must know when to say Yes and when to say No.
We must not just accept situations that do not support or inspire us. Without the ability to reject we wouldn't have any control over our lives. To be successful and satisfied we must have complete control over what we permit into our lives. It is inevitable to be asked for favours by other people, but it is at our discretion to deny them or do as we please.
When to Decline?
Whenever an opportunity comes our way we weigh it to check if it favours us or not. Analyze the situation; if it makes you feel excited and happy, go ahead and enjoy the opportunity. However, if you feel that agreeing to the request may not be in your favour or you may regret it later, it's wiser to decline with a simple 'no'.
Unfortunately, saying 'no' is thought of as a rude expression of rejection, precisely why a lot of us end up agreeing to do something we do not want to.. Despite knowing that it's not always wise to accept every request, it can be very difficult to decline. We don't want to be seen as cold, rude and insulting. However, when said well with no intention of hurt, saying ‘no’ can also sound nice.
Decline Nicely
While a ‘yes’ can make a person happy, saying a ‘no’ can also have the same effect if you do it correctly. Sometimes, we don't have the resources or time to accept and fulfill a request and in such cases, the best thing to do would be to offer to help finish half the work. Let the other person understand your limitations. Make sure to offer a limited help on a scale that suits your time, resource or interest.
Another way of saying no nicely is to refer the person to someone you know who can help. If you run a business then this way must be your regular way of saying no to requests that aren't profitable to you.
Understand Your Own Priorities
Do you know the most common consequence of saying yes in a situation where you should have said no? Regret. It is better to say no to every unfavorable situation rather than regretting later. But, if you still find it difficult to say no, consider saying 'not now'. Although, it means the same as the straight forward yes, it sounds nicer and hopeful.
If you are already too busy with your own work, it’s reasonable to say 'not now' to requests that are not urgent or time-based. The best way to be able to do this is to first understand your own priorities.
To understand your priorities, keep a track of things that are important to you during a week. Also, keep a track of the number of times you may have said yes to something that you regretted later. At the end of the week tally both the lists. If you find out that there are few important things you couldn't complete during the week just because you devoted your time and resources to unfavorable requests, it's time to give due importance to your priorities. Each time you say yes to someone, you may be saying no to yourself and your priorities.
Be Willing to say Yes
Saying no at the right time can be a wise decision, however, you should not stop saying yes. A yes can bring unexpected joy and amazing experiences to you and you should not deny yourself such amazing life experiences. So next time you have to choose between a yes or no, take your time and choose wisely.
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