One of the smallest yet most difficult words in the English language is the word “NO”. Yet, this word can be the difference between receive your desired goals and intentions and struggling to survive.
When you set your desired goals and intentions, they must come from your divine why – your heart’s desire. Yet, when something comes up that will no doubt take you off your chosen course, you give in and oh well, there goes another dream.
Did you know that NO is a complete sentence? When someone asks you to do something that will clearly take you off your chosen course, simply and politely say, “No thanks.” No need to explain. Once you start explaining, you have opened a crack for them to slip in their rebuttal. If they ask you why not, simply smile and say “Prior commitment.” Keep it short and sweet.
Remember, you teach people how to treat you!
Did you catch that?
You have the power to train your tribe how to respond or react to you in any given situation.
My story: Once there was a young woman who would beg for money outside of the church I worked. She was there every single day. She needed money for her room that day. I knew that simply giving her money was enabling her; not my style. After a few days of me saying NO to her, she knew not to ask me anymore. But it doesn’t end there.
After a few weeks, I stopped and chatted with her. We exchanged names and pleasantries and I found her to be funny and sharp. After a few more weeks of conversation, she developed the courage to get off her butt and find a job. She started small, helping out in a local store. But they knew her and she was pleasant to the customers. After several months, she had a “real” job and a “real” place to live.
What would have happened if I had never said NO to her? Who knows but the point is, I stuck to my intentions and my values. I wasn’t going to give in to enabling her more than necessary.
Stop making excuses and start letting your NO mean NO!
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