NO?!
Saying “no” is big girl work.
It liberates. It protects. It boundaries.
We forget we have options and sometimes we have to be reminded. Just because we said “yes” in the past doesn’t mean we can’t change our minds. If we say “yes” when we should say “no,” we set ourselves up for resentment and often exhaustion. Not a healthy place to live. People can’t repeatedly take advantage of us without our permission.
So wiggle into those grown-up pantaloons and say “yes” to “no.” Appropriate no’s will help renew your dignity, your vitality, and your integrity.
This is a POWERFUL post. Like you, it’s tiny but it packs a punch! Sound truth for all of us in every word! …Now… how to actually speak the word. 😉
This blog hit me hard. Im going through a divorce from a man who walked all over me for 39 years, because I said yes instead of no and did not stand up for myself.
Love it! Learned to where my big girl pants 🙂
[…] http://patsyclairmont.com/2013/01/no/ I love Patsy Clairmont. So poignant and graceful. I’m in awe of how God can use stumbling upon a blog at just the time in life I need to read it. […]
I’ve seen no misused also. We women can use it to ”stand up for our rights” and as in, “No, I won’t take this anymore!” But if you said yes… such as a vow/commitment in marriage… that doesn’t really give you an option to choose to say ‘no’ and walk away. So, what are we talking about here? Is it taking on new responsibilities we will have a difficult time with or what? The key is to KNOW what an APPROPRIATE “NO” is…