Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I was able to send an email that was a very firm and a very clear “no” to someone’s request.
I always hear a lot about this idea of saying “no.” But I’ve never practiced it. I never had to because not very many people wanted something from me or needed my time or I just always said yes because I found a reason to justify saying yes.
But now for the first time, I know what it feels like in a completely straightforward, honest, humble, and authentic way to say no.
It isn’t necessarily about just saying no. It’s about realizing that you alone are responsible for your time.
Once you realize the sacred nature of your time and of the immense value that everyday can give you with your time, then saying no becomes about respecting the things that you’re already doing in your life.
In a way, I don’t wish I’d started saying no sooner, rather, I wish I had started realizing the value of my own time, which would have led to saying no.
I challenge you to consider if you’re able to say no to people asking for your time. If you aren’t, why not? If you are saying no to people, why are you saying no? Is it for good reasons or is it for avoiding something?
Think about that and consider whether you respect your own time as much as you should.
