Do you like to say yes frequently? This is one of the things I have been working on myself. I am a people pleaser and feel pressure to say yes even when I don’t want to sometimes. Even when there is no pressure on me to say yes! I just create it myself!

How do You Deal with This?

Firstly, you must realize you are saying yes to everything. You should start to consciously pay attention when you start doing this.

How does your body react? Does your body feel stiff and tight all of a sudden?

Do you start to clam up? Observe your reactions closely.

Take Baby Steps to Say No

When you’re not comfortable with saying no and feel every urge to say yes even though you don’t want to, take baby steps.

Make it easy for you. Be gentle towards yourself. Understand that you have a right to put your needs and desires first. Say no to simple things like your choice of meal, going for a night out when you don’t want to…

Don’t Avoid the Answer

I have seen too many people do this. When they don’t want to say yes but feel uncomfortable in saying no, they avoid the entire matter altogether.

You actually end up not doing any good to your friendship or professional relationship. Think about it. Though you may not have been happy with a friend or professional contact’s response, you likely appreciated that they were direct to the point politely. You could move forward in a clear direction after their direct response.

What are your thoughts on this post? Please share with me in the comments.