learning to say no

welcome to introspection ft. harsehaj! ⭐️ i’m harsehaj, an 18 y/o always up to something in social good x tech.

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btw, feel free to reply with topic ideas you want me to write about for future posts.

onto today’s topic: learning to say no 🛑 

i get it. it can be so hard to say no to people, especially when you’re afraid of hurting others’ feelings.

it’s easy to click no on an rsvp for an online event where you don’t personally know the organizers; however, it gets significantly more challenging when you have to tell a friend no to their face. whether it’s for a hangout or a possible favour, the friendship and/or fear of disappointing someone pressurizes you to say yes. 😬 

typical people-pleaser trait, and i am guilty of it too! what i’ve learned recently is that there is a difference between setting personal boundaries and being mean. it is well within your right to say no to things, but do keep in mind the other person also put themselves in a vulnerable position open to rejection so it doesn’t hurt to be genuine about it. 💗 

treading that balance between over-explaining yourself and setting a firm boundary can be challenging. i sometimes find myself really uncomfortable telling people no because saying “i am just not feeling up to it today” as an excuse feels so wishy-washy. 🌬️ 

one thing to note though is that you don’t owe anyone a detailed explanation for your “no” reply. showing gratitude for the invite or any sort of positivity followed by your “no” will both send across your decision but also still leave the other party feeling appreciated and seen.

do you find it hard to say no?

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