Saying “No” And Valuing Ourselves

Written By Colēgia

Being able to say no can be difficult for some of us. We might inherently be more prone to people please and might say yes as a means of trying to be in good standing with those around us. While it is good to be flexible and agreeable at times, we don't want this to come at the cost of losing who we are. Today we want to take a look at why it's important to say “no” so that we can value ourselves more.

Does It Align With Your Values?

There are a few things to consider when making a decision and one of the first things to think about is how a choice aligns with our values. Each of us has different things that we prioritize in our lives such as flexibility, autonomy, and things we view as morally good. This is something that we have to take time to meditate on and think about so that we're in harmony with our actions. Being able to say no means that we're capable of sticking with things that we know align with our moral compass. This can include being more mindful of how we use our time so that we're taking care of ourselves better.

“Each of us has different things that we prioritize in our lives such as flexibility, autonomy, and things we view as morally good.”

Does It Promote Good Well-Being?

Our well-being is another area to think about when saying no to things. One of the best examples of this is certain foods or drinks. Saying no to things like soda or excessive sweets is a great means of valuing your well-being. The key here is balance since there may be times when we might still want a snack and this can be okay in moderation. The problem is when we're consistently saying yes to things without being aware of the effect they have on our physical or mental well-being. Awareness goes a long way and it's healthy to consider whether or not the things we're doing today are helping us in the long-term or if they're just an immediate joy.

“The problem is when we're consistently saying yes to things without being aware of the effect they have on our physical or mental well-being.”

Is It Sustainable?

The last thing we want to be aware of when saying no is determining whether or not what we're doing is sustainable. A great example of this can be doing different things to be more productive. Some days this might work amazingly since we'll have the right combination of energy and motivation to be able to power through some assignments. Other days that might not be the case and we'll have to forgo certain habits to find a sense of stability. It's here where we need to tell ourselves no when enough is enough or if we're too tired to push on. A great example of this can be staying up most of the night to study. A little bit of this can help but realistically it's better to study when we're more mentally alert without forgoing sleep. It's okay to say no to things since we need to be aware of our own needs first.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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