Saying No- The Impact "No" Can Have on Your Health

 Yes- of course I can add more shift hours. Yes, I can go out to a dinner and say yes to friends, when I know I need to stay in and study. Yes, I will lend you a bit of money. Yes- I will tolerate you speaking to me this way. Yes, yes, yes. We live in a world that thrives on the word yes. We fear letting down the people we care about, or even sometimes the people we don't care about. People pleasing is associated with the word yes.

However, what if we re-framed our mindset of always having to be the most-liked and honored what we felt in the moment. This is definitely not to say it is best to be selfish at all. Saying no and standing our ground is about becoming a better, more confident version of ourselves.

Think back in your life about all of the times you said yes, when it really burdened you. Personally, I have worked on 2 hours of sleep, failed an exam or two, or experienced burnout from saying yes. I have dealt with bosses being unkind to me and staying in work situations too long, from constantly saying yes.

The point of this post is to be a selfish person and put yourself first in all situations. Instead, the purpose of this post is to explain that you cannot be your best to others, if you do not put yourself first. 

Saying no to prioritize your needs will enable you to perform better in all areas of life. Saying no does wonders for your metal health. Saying no helps with self-care and confidence by setting boundaries. Saying no allows you to give your best time and energy to those who you care about the most. 

"No" is a small word, yet there is a lot of power to it. It is best for people to wrap their  head around and understand that saying no does not mean they hate someone or doesn't want that person to be in their lives. Many times "no" is a better outcome in a situation for both parties. For example, if you say no to going out with friends, you will be a better friend the next time you see them- rather than showing up drained with half of your normal energy. 

Saying “no” can allow others to respect you. If you are always the person who says yes, others will take advantage of you. Others will feel like they can ask and use you for anything, when this will put more stress and pressure on you. Saying no will literally take stress off of your plate. 

Saying "no" also allows you to see who is truly on your side. When you are an employee or friend of someone, and you tell them no with good reason, they should understand and support you. If your boss or friends are unreasonable when you set boundaries, this shows more about them than you. After all, sometimes it is better to keep your circle small.