Just like yoga, saying No is a practice unto itself
I had my dream job. It encompassed everything that I had written down on a piece of paper a few years previously for what my ideal workday would look like.
When I wrote it down, I didn’t even think it was possible–where could I find a management position with hiking, yoga, fitness, and nutrition all rolled up in one role? Yet, that is what came to fruition.
I loved the people I worked with. My days were diverse even though the structure was the same week to week. The changes I helped facilitate in people over just a few days were awe-inspiring. We won awards and had rave reviews.
That was the glossy side of my life.
The Dark Side of the Dream Job
The flip slide was that I was working a minimum of 60 hours a week (but most were closer to 80). Sometimes I didn’t go home for a three-day stretch. I was regularly told by my supervisors that I wasn’t working hard enough.
“If you don’t prioritize your life. Someone else will.” -Greg McKeon
They said I needed to do more. I needed every client to adore me.
I was exhausted, barely saw anyone outside of work, and escaped to the movies on my day off for those two hours with no phone.
On the day I gave my notice they asked if there was anything they could do to keep me. No, I said. I was done. I couldn’t keep up anymore.
I was supposed to be an ideal of health and wellness and felt like a fraud because while I did appear to be in many ways, I wasn’t in the one way that really mattered.
I was not taking care of myself. I was burned out.
Like many in the health and wellness industry, I had put others’ needs before my own.
This is common amongst my peers. We aim to help people live their lives better. We know how much our skills can make an impact. Yet, we forget to practice them ourselves.
I vowed to never do that again.
The Problem With Not Saying No
Saying No can be hard. Especially for simple requests. Maybe the request will throw off a deadline, have us running, barely on time to pick up a child, or is something you just don’t want to do for whatever reason.
Yet, we agree for simplicity or because we feel expected to.
I genuinely like helping out and being a team player–it feels good.
However, I’ve realized that always saying yes actually limited myself and others. By agreeing to work extra hours, I didn’t give myself the proper time to decompress or spend time with friends.
It also didn’t allow others to step up and take on responsibility. Because I always said yes, I became the first and last person that was asked and eventually I found myself feeling resentful.
When you say No, you are actually saying Yes to yourself and your priorities.
Sticking to your boundaries puts you in control of your time, and the energy that you give.
This means if fitness is important, you don’t allow anything to interrupt your workout. Same with family dinnertime, or whatever your self-nourishing priorities are.
Personally, I’m an introvert and if I have a busy teaching day, I need time to rejuvenate. Going to a massive party is not going to happen; a cup of coffee with a close friend may.
To change your relationship to the word No, explore the following practices in self-awareness.
Learn to Slow Down
As I learned when I attended one of the first Breath and Bliss Immersions, spending two full days lying around on a Coregeous® Ball breathing does wonders for the nervous system. At the time I attended this immersion, my parasympathetic nervous system needed so much love. I had no idea.
I felt more at peace. My anxiety decreased, which I didn’t realize that i even needed. My sleep was deeper and I woke more restful.
NeuroTuneUp “Tune in” Practice
The following practice can help you slow down enough to feel how you’re really feeling, and make wise decisions for yourself.
Materials: a Coregeous® Ball with straw that comes with it or 2-3 cocktail/coffee stirrer straws.
Breath: take 10-20 breaths through the straws in each position.
Focus on using the breath to flatten the Coregeous® Ball, bringing awareness into the muscles of that region.
Step 1: Begin by lying on your back with the Coregeous® Ball between your shoulder blades.
(A blanket may be needed for support under your head.) 10-20 breaths through the straws.
Step 2: Repeat the same exercise, lying on the left side with the Coregeous® Ball on the side ribs below the armpit.
Knees bent and at about hip height. 10-20 breaths through the straws
Step 3: Next, from the side, roll the shoulders down toward the ground with the Coregeous® Ball located in the Upper Right Chest.
10-20 breaths through the straws.
Repeat 2 & 3 on the right side.
Step 4: Roll onto the stomach with the Coregeous® Ball under the sternum.
Hands can be under the head to support it and the head can be turned to one side.
Switch the direction of the head partway through. 10-20 breaths through the straws
Now, take some time to tune in and answer the following questions for yourself.
Self-Inquiry on Saying “No”
Think about how you say “No” and how you feel doing it.
Do you have a whole song and dance about how you would love to, but x, and y, and z, and then the dog, and the car?
Or are you like a two-year-old and say “No” quickly with ease and determination?
The best way is to give a firm no with a short reason and possibly suggest an alternative if appropriate.
Examples of an effective “No”:
- “That sounds like an amazing opportunity! Thank you for thinking of me. Right now I’m focused on this project and couldn’t give the time required. Did you talk to Rachel? She mentioned that she was looking for something like this.”
- “I’d be happy to take on this time-sensitive project, but you also want to have the budget done by 5 pm. Would you rather have the budget done by tomorrow at 5 pm or pass along the project to someone else?”
- “I’d love to bake my cupcakes for the bake sale, but I’m on a major time crunch right now. I can buy some from the bakery.”
- “I’m sorry, but I don’t take clients on the weekends. I do offer some late evening hours on Monday and Wednesday to accommodate a busy work week. Would an 8 pm time slot work?”
Is there anything happening in your life right now that you know you want to say No to? How might you do that?
To honor my need for No, I have turned down jobs that didn’t fit in with how I wanted to work.
The logical part of me had me looking at my dwindling bank account wondering why I would turn down a good opportunity. But I haven’t regretted any of those decisions. Other opportunities came along, or I created new opportunities on my own terms.
Giving myself time to think about the option, looking at my priority list and schedule, allowed me time to find the right answer.
Saying YES to What You Love
The first thing I did after quitting my job was to travel, which fills my soul.
I spent almost four weeks in South East Asia and two in Boston & New York. I pampered myself with massages, hiking, and exploration followed by connection with family and friends.
This may sound extreme and not like something we can do all the time. But we still need to carve out time for a passion.
Whether it is a visit to an art museum, going to a lecture, enjoying a walk in the woods, taking a class on making jewelry, or whatever else lights you up, your soul will be nourished.
When we fill our own energy cup, we can better share that with others.
At a minimum, set aside a few hours once a month, but aim for once a week. Block it off and make it a priority. It’s better to reschedule than cancel.
I’ve definitely improved in saying “No” and in setting boundaries. Just recently, I dropped a class at a studio where I’ve been teaching for two years in order to rent a space that will provide more freedom to accomplish some of my goals. It’s scary, as I’m making a big leap, but it’s also tremendously exciting.
I’m not perfect though. I still catch myself making choices that don’t fit with where I want my life to go. And sometimes I wait too long to make a decision to make sure it feels right. Overall, I feel much more confident in my life’s journey right now. For me, that is the best outcome.
This article is part of a larger discussion on Mental Health and Emotional Resiliency.
During the month of August we are sharing educational articles and interviews to help navigate the challenges and struggles brought forth from living amidst a pandemic. Our intention for sharing this curated list is so that you may learn new skills (or revisit old ones) to take care of your nervous system and incorporate breath, movement and mindset practices to increase emotional resiliency. We invite you to take what works, and allow the rest to fall away.
If you liked this article, we’ve curated a list of practical how-to’s, interviews, and more on mental health and emotional resiliency:
- How to Raise Self Awareness by Meredith Amann
“The unexamined life is not worth living” Socrates. Many people agree awareness, like mindfulness, is a skill, but could it be our hidden super power? - The Secret to the Change You Crave Beth Damm
Words are not just tools for communication. Words have the power to uplift, unite, bless and transform, as you will see in the examples in this post. They can change your mindset. - Compassionate Insight: Shifting How We Define Resilience by Emily Pantolone
Interested in building emotional resiliency? Self-compassion may be the entry point to expanding your perspective. - How to Approach and Support Mental Health When You Aren’t A Therapist by Ariel Kiley
Dr. Christopher Walling discusses mental health and the scope of practice for fitness, yoga and wellness teachers. - Why does it hurt? Demystifying pain. by Dinneen Viggiano
Do-at-home, no-equipment-needed, non-invasive therapeutic skills are indispensable for effectively managing stress, anxiety, exercise burnout, pain and more. Dinneen shares three self-care skills and accompanying practices to help you understand and transform your experience of pain.
Related Article: Power Exercises for Inner Peace: A Conversation with Olympic Weightlifter Elizabeth Wipff and CrossFitter R.E. Lewis
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Often we think it hurts others when we say no, but really it’s hurting us more than anyone else.
I’ve done work on myself and finally embodied that I can say “no” as a complete answer or I can add to it, like suggested if I feel like it, but not as a necessity.
I’ve also used a go to sentence with anyone asking for plans “Right now, that sounds awesome, but I’m working hard on not over committing, so can I get back to you with a firm answer by ________ (insert appropriate timeline). Which allows we to think it through, look at my calendar & reflect if it moving me towards the person I want to be.
Great article!
I resonate deeply with the idea that saying “no” is a crucial form of self-care. I’m constantly taking on more than what’s optimal for my nervous system – so much so that my friends created a “Just Say NO” punchcard that rewards me after I’ve said no to 10 things. They’re the arbiters of whether I receive a punch. And honestly, knowing that my community is cheering me on is worth more than the rewards of a complete punch card. I wish that people – before asking if someone can do something – make a habit of asking how full someone’s plate is!
Excellent reflections. In my experience, it definitely gets easier with practice. I particularly resonated with the piece about saying No with neutrality and kindness. I have noticed how modeling that for other people can help them find their own No’s over time, even if they are initially taken aback. And, saying no can certainly free up our bandwidth to tune into our authentic, whole body Yes!!
It made me sad to read that the author was told by her employers that she wasn’t working hard enough. I think this can be all too true in many helping professions, as well as the culture in general. We’ve been conditioned to tell ourselves that our worth is based on our “productivity”. Slowing down is going against the tide, but so necessary and important to health, wellness and embodiment.
As someone how doesn’t get a lot of Yes opportunities knocking at my door. I feel that wash of FOMO when they do and that is what usually compels me to say yes. The few times that I have said things I haven’t regretted. I more often than not find myself regretting the things I do rather and don’t do but that is much more on a personal note. As far as professionally I often wish I had said yes to more opportunities in my life maybe then things would have turned out differently but in the effort to not look back in resentment I can say with full confidence that Yes I am ok with saying No.
I think that there are two types of people – those who’d always prioritize their interests and say ‘no’ without hesitation and those who are there to compensate for the above mentioned and who believe they are there to serve the others. It is of course an exaggeration. But it is also an opportunity to learn from each other so we can develop a more well-rounded self. The courageous ball sequence is a great tool to put you on pause and give you some space to reevaluate your ‘template’. Perhaps you could get better in saying ‘no’, or perhaps exactly the opposite. (smiley) I’d definitely have to incorporate this routine in my daily life and learn to say ‘no!’.
I am getting better at saying ‘no’ as I age. I am in the last year before I retire from a wonderful 37 year career and am finally finding that internal sense of freedom to turn down opportunities if they truly don’t suit or serve me – both in my professional and personal life. Thank you for the corgeous ball routine – I will be saying ‘yes’ to that later today!
Sometimes saying “no” is tough for me – part of it may be my personality, and part of it may be that I grew up in the 70s and 80s as a Generation X woman and saying “no” just wasn’t accepted at that time. In any event, it’s been something I’m trying to get better at because I know it’s good for my mental health, and I know it will benefit those who are close to me. I’m better at it than I used to be, but I know there’s still a lot of growth that can happen.
Thank you for the Coregeous ball sequence – it’s a wonderful self-care tool to have in my arsenal.
That coregeous ball sequence just changed my whole day. I have been running around all day today stressed about all of the things that I had said yes to, and the new requests coming in. This article is so timely. I am so uncomfortable with saying no because I have trained the people around me that I am to go-to person for pretty much everything. And there is a weird false belief that if I say no and they go to someone else, that I won’t be needed at all anymore. Which is silly and just not true. Yay for NO!
I can appreciate the message of this article. It is a practice in itself to have the courage to say No to things. I find that when I do say No, I always want to offer a reason why I cannot do the thing. I love the exercises this article offers and plan to increment these into my daily self care routine.
I really resonated with and appreciated this article. Too often I feel overwhelm because I have over committed to helping clients when I need time for myself.
I appreciate the invitation to block out a minimum of a few hours a month to do something I enjoy. I am definitely going to implement that and make a goal to turn it into weekly in the future.
“sticking to your boundaries puts you in control of your time and the energy you give”. I noticed that when I don’t stick to my boundaries I have less quality energy to give, I may still show up physically but my energy level is so low, I don’t preform as well as I could and in these situations we all suffer and I should really have said no.
I went through the corgeous ball routine and fell so much more relaxed, it was definitely a nervous system reset.
This is a fantastic article, especially because it’s direct and relatively brief. I appreciate the description that often prompts us to say yes as it felt very true to my own experience. I can’t wait to delve into the resources shared at the end of the post as well.
It is true and ironic that in the wellness industry we are asked (or believe that we are expected to) put ourselves and our needs last. Especially for new teachers, I think there is sometimes this fire inside to “fix” everything and “do everything for everyone” and that leads to burnout. Thank you for bringing this up
Good for you Kate!! Amazing suggestions. Lying on the corgeous ball is a meditative time. My family knows if they can’t find me I’m probably in my happy place on my corgeous or other YTU balls!
Thank you for this article, it is so necessary! I’m just learning to say No & I wish I would’ve started a very long time ago! I recently attended Yoga Tune Up® training which motivated some life changes. In addition to that, I listened to an audio book, Boundary Boss by Terri Cole during my travel home from training and it has definitely helped me with saying No.
It’s hard to learn to say No but it’s really worth the effort to learn how. You have so much more to give when you’re not depleted.
I totally feel this! I even have a little mug with “no” in gold lettering to remind myself to slow down and say no to things more. I really hit the burn out wall right before the pandemic shut everything down and found myself grateful for the much needed break.Since then, I have learned to block off my evenings and dictate my schedule so others won’t do it for me. And I’m still surprised by how laying down firm boundaries with my time and taking time to rest, actually makes me more productive and do better across the board. I learned that free time doesn’t mean available time and I don’t have to offer up every free moment for people just because it’s there. And because of that, I’m a better therapist and more successful in my business than I was when I was running around trying to do everything for everyone. Such great and necessary information here! It’s good to see it talked about and normalized.
Thank you for this. Your examples of how to say no remind me of how I said no without saying the actual word to my kids’ requests for things that just weren’t possible Offering another alternative is crafty, and also honest and mature.
As a recovering constant people pleaser this article makes a great approach towards self-acceptance, and self-importance. By feeling how we feel physically we can pay attention to the cues out in the real world, so we can better navigate our decisions in order to say “no” easier, and not feel like the bad guy knowing what we have to do what’s healthy for us on a personal level.
Les suggestions de réponses négatives sont très inspirantes. Dire non ça s’apprend. Merci pour cet article!
J’adore cet article, merciiiii ! Il est tellement important de dire non, d’être en accord avec nos valeurs ! Prendre soin de soi c’est prendre soin des autres !
Le ballon me fait tellement de bien …
merci pour cette pratique intéressante, je commence à rouler le soir sur le ballon et ça me détend beaucoup. Dire non n’a pas toujours été facile mais je m’écoute de plus en plus et le non s’impose.
Can’t wait to do the Breath and Bliss in Québec!
Je réalise a quel point apprendre à dire non est un long parcours pour moi et c’est loin d’être gagné…Dans mon métier, les demandes sont nombreuses, je me donne au maximum pour chacun de mes clients et quand je leur dit non, j’ai le sentiment de les abandonner. Même si je sais que dire non aux autres, c’est dire oui à moi, cela est encore difficile pour moi. Merci pour cette réflexion.
Very often saying yes to others is saying no to yourself.
I’ve been lucky enough to have always known how to preserve myself, it’s very important for me.Anyway thank you for sharing, I find the link between assertiveness and the techniques with the coregeous ball very interesting.
Great info. I really needed these reminders today. So important when working with clients who may have a ton of things going on, also.
“If you don’t prioritize your life. Someone else will.” -Greg McKeon This really hit home for me. in the last couple of years I have been trying really hard to change my life and establish boundaries. I have a hard time establishing boundaries and saying no and found myself helping people achieve their dreams and goals but I was not working on or accomplishing mine. I was lost. I had no purpose. I needed a change.
COVID made me slow down. I started by buying a couple of journals to help guide me through some thought work. As I was going through these journals I realized I was living unaware. Unaware of the decisions I was making, the reasons why I was taking action the way I was, my passions, and my values.
So I prioritized my life aligned with my values and passions, so no one else could. This thought work, pranayama, and the Coregeous Ball have all helped me manage the mental, emotional and physical effects of living a fast paced life on autopilot.
Now that we are “back to normal” I am trying to say no to the things I know are not aligned with my dreams, values and passions. I am always saying yes to the things that I love. I am be kinder to myself and am able to give to others!
Thank you for all the resources!
Ohh the power of saying no. This article was EXACTLY what I needed right now, especially with the coregeous ball sequence. Thank you so much for sharing this often over looked topic. It’s so important, especially in the health/fitness world as it was so well put- we put others before our own needs and can feel like a fraud. THANK YOU!
This is a lesson I’m sure I’ll have to come back to often, as I do find it hard to let others down with my No. However it’s a great reminder to change the perception and find the power in my No so that it does feel like saying No to others is saying Yes to myself and my needs. Thanks!!!
Thank you for the references and the coregeous ball techniques. I know plenty of people pleasers who don’t know how to say no and I see the negative affects on their health. I will definitely refer them to this article. I particularly like the reminder that saying no to others is saying yes to yourself, Yes!!
I’ve been working on saying no, prioritizing the things I actually want to do, and setting boundaries since I first learn that I was epileptic but its been a challenging process.
I was graced with another opportunity to do some of that during my Yoga Tune Up Teacher Training this week and boy does this hit home right now.
Love these Coregeous ball techniques and all the references to check out. Thanks for sharing!
Brilliant lesson and accompanying introspective practice to help us find our ‘No’ — and enable us to say ‘Yes’ to ourself and our inner light.
Breathing through a straw and rolling on the core genus ball? Trying that stat!! Great topic and informative!
The art of saying no is a gift. It is something I still struggle with due to the feelings of guilt or letting someone down. But I love flipping the script so that if I am saying no to someone I am actually saying yes to myself. More of this please!
I have never done the straw breathing in conjunction with the coregeous ball work and it was incredible! I feel extremely relaxed and more balanced than before. I have been working on saying “no” more often to the things that really burn me out and saying yes to the things that bring me joy – it is a difficult practice. I often feel more nervous to say “no” than to just take on extra stuff that I hate. Doing practices that help down-regulate my nervous system have been essential to discriminating between the anxiety of saying no and the longer term anxiety of saying yes to things I don’t actually want to do. Thank you for sharing your experience and also for giving me another series of movements with breath to help relax my nervous system.
I’m practicing the art of saying no, too! The analogy to saying no in the context of the yoga room is a brilliant parallel to draw. I’m so often protective of not over stretching or overdoing it because I’m seeking to protect my body, but I find myself having been much weaker in my day-to-day, especially with work and my romantic relationships.
My take-away from this article is that saying no is a practice, an act of self-care, and a very important skill to continuously develop throughout the rest of my life.
Thanks for the perspective, and example phrases for saying “no” with grace.
Happy to find this article. This is something I’ve been working on in myself for a long time, saying no and creating boundaries. I never thought of tying it to the physical body and breath work like this work with the Coregeous Ball! This brings such a huge point to light…that saying no can create stress initially, and we need to address that stress in our physical bodies as well as our minds to create space for change! Thank you for that!
When I say no to somebody or something, I say yes to myself and I am the most important person of my life!
How wonderfull life throw at you what you need. I needed to read this article. Saying No is a big challenge for me. As if doing things for others is the only way to be love.
Thank you for reminding us of the importance of respecting each other by saying no. I will apply the exercises shown to help me achieve this.
A friend once told me : saying no is a priviledge , it allows more room in your life for meaningfull yes ! I think we are never enough reminded this. Thanks for sharing ??
Boundaries are so important to protect our health and wellbeing. I too love to help others and find it challenging to say no. It takes a lot of self-discipline not to put the needs of others in front of my own or just to be realist is my endeavors. For me, it was a question to reframe my self-talk from “I can do this!” to “how will this serve me?”. While the article states: “When you say No, you are actually saying Yes to yourself and your priorities.” I would put a nuance. We need to be aware of our needs, wants and priorities to know whether a “no” or “yes” would better serve us.
Thanks for giving us the right to say no to oppourtunities. I have a lot of guilt associated with not accepting to fill in for people when they are sick for example. I am definately going to take note of what my priorities are, and say yes only to the oppourtunities that are in line with my values!
Saying ”No” to say ”Yes” to myself is something I’ve been doing often enough in the past years. My way of saying ”No” may be sometimes too direct (not unkind, but sometimes perceived as such). I love that you added examples on how to say ”No”, but it sounds like a ”Yes” by redirecting the person, or offering something else that is okay for you. Thanks!
It is a journey to learn to say “No”. I am reading a book:The Courage to Be Disliked : How to Free Yourself, Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness
par Fumitake Koga, Ichiro Kishimi, et al. It changed my life and I am not afraid to be dislike by saying NO. Thank you!
Such good tips! Love that quote by Greg MeKeon
Viewing saying No as an act of self-care illuminates the very important thing that we neglect when we give the obligatory Yes: oneself. In saying No we immediately open to a Yes within our own sphere of influence.
Things tend to become cloudy when we are uncertain, ungrounded, or imbalanced. Forcing a Yes only digs us deeper into the hole of of regret. Being able to recognize what is a true need from a want is pivotal in living by the right choices, ones that can nourish and sustain us.
My favorite quote in this article is my new sankalpa for this month: “When you say No, you are actually saying Yes to yourself and your priorities.” How can we live and aspire to our dreams if we are not prioritizing what truly matters? We can’t. It’s easy to get caught in the social pressures and expectations of doing well, but asking for what and to what end helps to clarify what is important in a given moment from what is not.
Great article I think there can be a stigma around the word no this is a great way to learn how to apply it in such a useful self care model
Thank you, Kate, for this thoughtful and thorough post. This is a trap that almost all wellness professionals face at some point in their career. For years, I took on too many clients out of fear that saying no would leave me financially broke and alone. It left me sick and depleted. I would complain about my busy schedule with no time for doing what I love, then realized that I am the one who is in charge of my schedule! Saying “no” now feels empowering, like I am toning my spirit.
Question- I am intrigued by the NeuroTuneUp “Tune in” Practice. Can you tell me why breathing through straws makes this effective? It is similar to Sitali pranayama (the practice of breathing through a rolled tongue or pursed lips)?
Planning to check out AnamBiss. Thanks for bringing your wisdom to us!
Thanks for this reminder! I have been working on this, with boundaries at work, and with time, along with not feeling the need to explain why I am saying no when it comes to subbing classes for people because actually we just have the right to say no and leave it at that! This was really hard at first, but has become easier with practice. The breathwork in this sequence looks like it feels amazing and I look forward to practicing it regularly.
This was such a good reminder to check in and prioritize my needs, especially when my work is always in service of others. Thanks for this insightful article.
Learning to say no to things not no longer serve me in a positive way in addition to slowing down has not only lifted a weight from my shoulders, but also has improved my health mentally and physically. Fantastic article!
I LOVED this post ! I have always had a hard time saying “no” and it’s inevitably caused a host of problems in my professional and personal life. My difficulty with being clear about my abilities and limitations have really negatively impacted my self care . Love the nourishing, restorative poses in this post . Going to try the breathing exercises soon!
Thank you for the permission to say no! Women, especially, are conditioned to say “yes” to every request, which sets us up not just for burnout, but for resentment. Saying “no” when we really don’t want to say “yes” is better for us AND it’s better for others. And what a great way to model having healthy boundaries for our children! Once we become comfortable saying no when we mean no, it can open up space for us to say yes to the things we really want to focus on. thank you for an insightful and necessary post.
No… I love it. This speaks to me on So many levels. Having recently gone through my own “slowing down”, I am in agreement. It isn’t easy, but it is worth it.
Wow…I can SOOOO relate to this! Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for being a role model to self love. Your examples for saying “NO” were helpful.
Lovely discussion of self care and how to make it happen ❤️
This was a perfectly timed article for me and while I have heard this before, I really loved the connect to the specific breath work and the quote: If you don’t prioritize your life. Someone else will.” -Greg McKeon
Reframing saying “no” to be helpful for all parties involved is such a great shift of perspective.
I definitely struggle with the ability to say No. For some reason I think it makes me weak . I want to be able to do it all and more. One of my New Years Resolutions is to do more Self Care. I am definitely not there, yet, but I have found by utilizing the Tune Up Balls I am getting to a more healthy place. It was nice to get your perspective and I can’t wait to try your routine on the Coregeous Ball.
I think learning to use an effective “no” is so important. I loved this article as it made me really think about where I am
In my life and if I am really saying yes to the RIGHT things. Thank you for sharing your story.and for offering helpful hints (and examples) of effective “no’s”.
This post really hits home. A few years ago I started say “Yes”to myself more. I struggled with feeling selfish, but eventually got over it. I discovered a rich world outside the one I created. Thanks for including how to say “No” suggestions; very helpful.
N o one short word more Powerfull than these one.
Responsable for many Wars and Millions lifes.
Just 2 letters N O …. imagine 500 hundred years ago ? just said No can be a ticket to pass live to die in many issues, we are carrying these culture for many years, thousands may be, generation after generation. by the way religions are leading on these input on our minds even on these days. Is good make rules but on my opinion we need to be sure are using for being well as a human being and as a society.
I am such a YES! person – for others WAY more than myself. This, obviously, is not sustainable for a long period of time – at least not in a fulfilling way. I love the idea that saying no to something I don’t have the time/energy for (or am not in alignment with) is actually saying yes to my well-being & maintaining balance within my life.
Learning to say “NO” its a very important task and also a very big challenge for alot of people, In my case I also found it some times challenging, but by reading this article I learned diferent ways in which I could managed to answer in this way when needed. Prioritisin my needs must be the first thing on my list in order to be aligned with my own self, by doing this I could be more able to give more to others around me.
Thank you for writing this, Kate. I don’t think I could ever get sick of reading blogs or articles on self-care. Even though I preach the importance of self-care to my students every single class, I still struggle with saying no. There are so many opportunities to connect with others, but more and more I find myself craving alone time. And honestly, having gratitude about the alone time while it is happening helps me to remember later on when I’m being asked whether I want to come to a party on Saturday night, that I might have a more rejuvenative experience staying home instead, listening to an uplifting podcast, taking a bubble bath, or getting cozy with my pup. I recently heard a wise person say, “You wouldn’t break an important date to spend time with a meaningful friend, so don’t break a self-care date with yourself. “
Cómo algo tan simple puede resultar tan difícil a veces. Sobre todo cuando nos han enseñando a complacer a los demás para que nos quieran, para agradar, o simplemente para ser “buenos”. Definitivamente hay que poner límites, porque si no lo hacemos conscientemente, lo haremos inconscientemente a través de la enfermedad (física, mental o emocional). Gracias por el recordatorio.
This article is so true for many of us, always trying to accomplish too many things in our days committing to more than we can. Trying to make everyone happy and/or satisified not always makes us feel fulfilled and by observing how a situation make us feel we can have a real feedback of what we do want in our lives and to what can we say no. I loved “When you say No, you are actually saying Yes to yourself and your priorities. “ Putting ourselves first can be hard when we are always thinking of others first, and this self-massage practice really reflects this, making ourselves a priority, giving ourselves love, understanding and care above all. Thanks for your openness and sharing!
I am feeling the need to say no more and more. Thanks for some tips to not feel guilty taking time for self care.
“Si tú no priorizas tu vida, alguien más lo hará por ti”
Me quedo con esta frase que de manera clara nos dice que debemos hacernos cargo de nosotros mismos y tomar la responsabilidad de hacer nuestras propias elecciones. Muchas veces hacemos las cosas por pertenecer: porque asi se acostumbra, porque es el deber ser, porque asi se ha hecho y porque no puedo decir No. Decir No puede ser muy dificil y preferimos dar rodeos y excusas con tal de no quedar mal, llenándonos de esta manera de actividades que ocupan nuestro tiempo y ni siquiera están enfocadas a lo que realmente queremos hacer o lograr en la vida. En lo particular, estoy trabajando en ser congruente con mis deseos y poder decir No de manera asertiva, necesito ser egoista y cuidar de mi.
Me encantó tu artículo Kate, me queda como anillo al dedo.
GRACIAS!
Wendy
I used to be very bad and saying No. In México, culturally we tend to go around, and around explanations before saying no, we are very bad at saying no, but i have worked with this cultural imprint and my no´s have become more that my yes, when it comes to set boundaries and really prioritize my life, what i why i want to make that decision and if that decision is really taking me closer to that place where i want to be .
Thanks! great article.
La exigencia social, la necesidad de responder a las demandas de determinados “estándares” nos vuelven esclavos de nosotros mismos. Incluso detrás de la fachada de un estilo de vida y de hábitos saludable . Si somos capaces de romper esa rueda de maltrato estaremos contribuyendo a sociedades más sanas y compasivas. Cómo podríamos realmente enseñar o dar a los otros si no somos capaces de cuidarnos y protegernos. Decir que no es una forma de protección y de amor. Si no sabemos amarnos no podremos dar amor. Y sin amor nada florecerá. Gracias Kate compartir tu experiencia , es muy valiosa tu publicación.
I always have a very hard time say No to people that i like or want to help, or i always say Yes without thinking about if it is out of my capacity or overwhelms my schedule. I have agreed on doing things for others even i think it would be way too much for me, but because i didn’t know how to say No, i immediately said Yes, of course, it didn’t take long for me to change my mind and apologize to the person because i can’t keep my words. I have learned to take some time before i response, and really think if i can help them as well as benefit my own mental health.
Wanting to do for others is always a very satisfying and gratifying act but sometimes one has to know where to draw the line and set boundaries because one can totally lose themselves if they continually become a doormat
Wow! This is such a classic story for every Yoga teacher I know. For starters, we love what we do so saying Yes doesn’t seem like a big ask of us. And of course there’s the fear of Not having work so saying Yes to everything helps you pay your bills. But you’re so right, if you deplete yourself, you have nothing to give anyway. And it’s ironic that so many “healers” in the wellness world are suffering from a lack of self care. A very wise friend told me the other day that “No” is a full sentence. Thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks for sharing Kate! So hard to say ‘No’, but imperative to our own personal health!
Love this article! This is something I am currently and constantly working on. I am the type of person who loves to help and do everything – sometimes a little too much at the expense of the energy I can give. I find that saying “no” can feel like I am perhaps letting people down or even more myself. But the practice of solid boundaries and leaving time for me to do more things I love is really self-nourishing and necessary. Appreciate this reminder and your practical tools for it.
I find your journey so interesting! How amazing that you had the dream job but such a nightmare experience. As the years go by, I’m realizing that it’s the quality of life that matters more than the job (I’ve always been career-oriented). Having time to spend with friends and live a balanced and inspired life leads to a peaceful me. That’s what I want – not the perfect career and accolades – though this is a work in progress for me… Thanks for sharing your experiences.
This reminds me of a quote (included below) by Steve Jobs when discussing his paring down Apple’s product offerings. As a person who’s prone to over-extending myself, this lesson has come hard for me. And on occasion, it still does. I’m learning that I feel more gratified with my work and produce objectively better work when I pare back my own commitments to those which I can devote myself to fully. Thanks for this.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying “no” to 1,000 things.” – Steve Jobs
Excellent article! I can soooooo relate to this! If you’re a giver (as opposed to being a taker), saying no goes totally against your personality and core values when it comes to responding to people asking something of you. Took me way too long to learn that there were times where saying no wasn’t an option, but a necessity. Take heed, all you givers out there! Sometimes, you have to just say no!