5 THINGS YOU CAN PROBABLY SAY NO TO…

I’m generally a kind person and saying no hasn’t always been my strength.

But I have realized over time that we can’t say yes to everything. For last 2 years, it’s been a mission of mine to find ways to say no, in order to make room for yes in my life for things that matter the most.

An to say no, you not only need willpower — you also need to build up your defenses.

Although, I still continue to learn the art of saying no, here I offer 5 things you can start saying no to immediately that can significantly improve your wellbeing, improve your productivity, strengthen your relationships and have a positive impact on the way you live.

SAY NO TO…

1. EXHAUSTING RELATIONSHIPS

Recognize that not all people nourish you. Some will drain your energy. Trust me, there is no room for that kind of soul-sucking relationships. Surround yourself with people who lights you up. Keep those people close and let the others go. [Will write a separate note later for dealing with Exhaustive Relationships that you can simply no leave…]

2. BEING PERFECT, ALWAYS

Not everything needs to be done with excellence. In fact, if that’s your goal, you’ll have a constipated life. Oftentimes, being almost right or almost there is just fine, if not even better than fine. I have seen parents putting this disease on their children. Don’t do it. Life is not about being perfect. It’s about being joyfully present. Accept that perfection is not always needed for success.

3. TOO MUCH EMAIL

Email itself is not work. It’s a mean to an end, a way to communicate. But somehow, emails rule majority of our time at work. Don’t get crushed by the email monster! Use it, but don’t let it use you. Discipline yourself. Check the web for strategies on managing emails.

4. BEING BUSY

Do you catch yourself telling people you’re very busy, only to following up with saying that “Being Busy is Good?” Please get it write… being busy does not equate to being successful. In fact, if someone looks busy, I get an impression that he/she might be overcommitted and overwhelmed, or worse yet, someone who doesn’t know what’s important!

5. BEING SO SERIOUS ABOUT EVERYTHING

This relates to my point of being perfect always, but I think it needs separate attention. Life will surely end one day. Remember to have fun. You don’t need to be serious 100% of the time. There’s a time and occasion for seriousness, of course, but that time and occasion is not ALWAYS, 24/7.

I hope you’ll say a bit more no today. NO?