Saying no should be required learning for the 21st century.
Why? Because we are soft. We have become so through a series of coercion methods that have been used on us since we were infants. So we are eased into it by our parents and our peer groups, and by a variety of authorities that claim control over who we are, what we do, what we spend money and time on, and more.
No is a fundamental act of control– maybe the most basic one there is. I suspect that children begin to say no once they begin to recognize that they are a separate person in the world. It is significant, then, that we learn to say no again as adults. But it’s difficult.
Previously on this blog I wrote a short, introductory guide to saying no to basic 21st century things that take up our time, including email, mobile phones, mail, and more. But that is not enough.
The easiest things to say no to in this world are the most distant. The hardest ones are the closest. So we end up being able to treat our weak ties poorly, while our close friends end up thinking we’re pushovers.
This is not the way life is meant to be. You need to own what you are by not letting others control your life. That starts today.
The art of saying maybe
I actually don’t believe in saying maybe (although I might click that
THIS IS NOT ORIGINAL CONTENT, BUT RATHER AN ARTICLE I FOUND TO BE AWESOME AND INFORMATIVE.
VIEW THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AND GIVE THE AUTHOR PROPS HERE:
http://inoveryourhead.net/advanced-tactics-in-saying-no/
