Saying “No” Nicely

“Saying “no” can be easier with the right approach.”
(Maximizing Your Potential: Essential Growth Tools)

Many of us have a hard time saying “no,” to anything or especially to anyone. Saying “no” is hard because it means disappointing others and setting a boundary that often creates conflict and confusion. But is there an easier way for us to say “no” without making things more difficult?

Yes, there is a way. When we make our “no” more about what we can’t do than about what we won’t do, then the “no” is easier to digest. In other words, it’s not “no” because I won’t do that; it’s “no” because I can’t. To express it is a winsome way, our “no” is better when we say, “That doesn’t work for me.” 

Growing stronger, side by side!

   

Kent DelHousaye
Co-Founder of Love and Transformation Institute