Have you ever had to tell someone “no” and felt this intense drive to explain or defend your “no”?
I have. I’ve never really questioned that drive either until I read the following quote in The Self-Love Experiment.
“No is a complete sentence.”
I’ve been letting that sink in and percolate …
“No.” and walk away.
Smile and, “No thank you.” and walk away…
That’s all.
It’s a one-word boundary that efficiently and effectively teaches others what we don’t tolerate about their behavior or how they treat us. All packaged in one little word!
I’ve been practicing this and find it magnificently empowering.
Try it out for a few days and watch and feel the results! Within a few days you might notice your head held a little higher and your shoulders more square. Your energy increase. Maybe you’ll notice you can maintain eye contact with with confidence. You might feel more love, respect, and confidence for yourself and others. You might even notice that some people start treating you differently, with more respect.
Of course, there’s always at least on person that gives you some fight-back, a child, a close family member. That’s ok. You stay focused. You are not responsible for how they react to or feel about your healthy boundaries. Don’t let that discourage you from maintaining your “no” in a loving way. It will end up building both of you and strengthening your relationship!
