Say No
Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse made a practice to ask her patients(Usually people in the last 2-3 weeks in their deathbed) what they regretted most in their life. The number one regret most people had was: I wish I lived a life true to myself
Most people end up being used and taken advantage of in life because they never learned to say no. They live a life trying to be āniceā and to please others, only to be 90 years old, bitter and resentful of everything in their life.
Life is short enough that if you keep saying yes to everything, youāll be drained out soon enough. There is only so much time in our days and only so many days in our lives. If you choose to spend it on the priorities of others, soon enough youāll be 90 years old, on your deathbed, wondering where the hell all your life went to.
Donāt end up like that. Donāt become one of their angry-bitter people on their death-bed. Donāt end up regretting your life because you never learned to prioritize it. Practice saying no. Strengthen your āno-muscleā. Take control of your own life.
Learning to say no is like anything else in life, you only get better with practice. If all your life you were told to be nice and meek, you have to unlearn those behaviors to strengthen your no-muscle. Next time someone asks you to go somewhere you donāt want to go, say no. Next time someone asks you to do something you donāt like, practice saying no.
I'm not telling you to be a jerk and piss everyone off. I'm telling you to be honest with yourself, and others. To prioritize the right things.
When you learn to say no, you open up so much room in your life for things, the right things, the things that matter to you. When you learn to say no to the things that donāt matter, you say yes to the things that do.
Say no more often. Protect your time. Protect your energy. Protect your peace.
Good luck.