How To Stop Saying Yes When You Want To Say No
Self-care is crucial for living a happy and healthy life. How can you expect to function and feel good about yourself and your life if you're not mentally and physically taking care of yourself? According to Everyday Health, some ways to incorporate more self-care into your life include being kinder to your body, eating healthier foods, getting a good amount of sleep, working out, and avoiding spending too much time on your electronic devices. Plus, if you're looking for a way to destress and unwind, turning to a CBD massage could help you relax and get into a calmer mindset.
As difficult as this may be for some people to hear, saying yes to everything can prevent self-care. Saying no to helping someone or doing something you might not want to can be a daunting task for people-pleasers or anyone who considers themselves "too nice" to say no, but it's just one of those things we all have to do. After all, sometimes you need to say no to stand up for yourself or distinguish the right boundaries when needed (via Good Therapy). So, how does the person who always feels pressured to say yes learn to say no?
You should be honest
We've all heard the saying about honesty being the best policy, and we've heard it so many times because it's true. If you're trying to learn to say no to people, you should think about exactly why you're saying no to that particular request or invite and the rewards you'll reap from choosing to decline, per The Positivity Blog. Keeping your motive for saying no in your mind during the conversation will strengthen your desire to say no and prevent you from giving in and saying yes. Plus, you should remember to communicate your feelings when explaining why you are declining, and it's normal to feel a little bad about it, but don't beat yourself up for prioritizing your needs and self-care.
One way to say no to someone is to use the "sandwich method" (via Psychology Today). Saying no with this method will require you to say something positive first, then say no, and finally end what you say on another positive note. It's always polite to thank someone for thinking of you, so try doing that first, then say no. To end your response pleasantly, you could always say thank you again or note that you should be free to help or hang out another time soon.