Apr 8, 20222 min read

Would You Like Help Learning to Say NO? Here's How I Did It.

Updated: Apr 26

Do you keep saying YES to people who ask you for your time and talent even though you have no time to help them?

Do you feel exhausted and depleted but still allow yourself to volunteer for more work or additional responsibilities?

Do you continue to do work, homework, housekeeping, and errands for people who should be doing these things themselves?

This will NEVER contribute to your abundance.

For most of my life, I said yes to every request.

Let's face it, high-functioning women are the best ones to ask if you want something done well. There are other reasons we resist saying no, and they are not always in our own best interest.

Here's what I think. Women like us say YES to everything because:

We're programmed to please.
We enjoy being busy.
Being asked makes us feel important.

Here's what I've learned. When you say YES to everyone and everything, you are saying NO to yourself, your dreams, your intentions, and your purpose.

Saying YES is a habit. Habits can be changed. For me, changing this habit took a while. I had several do-overs, re-trys, and start-again moments, and if things get super stressful I can slip back into this old and comfortable habit. But most of the time I'm very intentional about where and how I spend my time and very selective about who and what I say YES to. You can do this too!

Here's the thing though, I really struggled with learning to say NO. Even though other people can simply say No, Thank You, I could not do it. That inner drive to feel accepted and be liked is a challenge for some of us, isn't it? Fortunately, I found some workarounds, a few easy-to-say phrases that said no without actually saying no. I hope when you see these ideas you'll think this:

Want to try these phrases yourself? Please do!

This is a recording of a Masterclass I taught called Six Ways to Say No and Still Be Nice. Listen or watch, take notes, and give this a try.

I hope you get a chance to say NO really soon. Let me know what happens.

If you want my help getting organized, systemized, and growing your business, learn more about my coaching programs here.

Hi. I’m Beth Caldwell.

I help women grow their practice to full capacity with a waiting list.

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