Learn To Say 'No'

It is such a small, but can be a very powerful word. It is not always easy to say. There are however some things that you can do to make ‘saying no’ a bit easier in your life, so that you can put more of your time and energy into the things that truly mean the most to you - such as reaching your goal!

• Kindly defuse and then say your needIt becomes easier for people to accept your no if you kindly defuse them first. You could for example do that by saying that their cake looks amazing or that you are flattered and that you appreciate their kind offer, and be honest about whatever you say. Then you can, add that you do not eat cake between meals or have the time for accepting and doing what they want.

• Express how you feel about itSome pushy people might want to overcome your objections and convince you to have or do something even if you first say no with a valid reason. Then try this: State how you feel as a reason for saying no. For example say that you do not feel that this offer is a good fit for your life right now or your doctor has said you need to cut back on sugar and you feel this is very important for your health at the moment or you are super busy and so you cannot do whatever they want. By telling someone how you feel it not only makes them understand your side of the issue better but also that it is a lot harder to argue with how you feel rather than how you think. How you feel is your thing and no one can really come up with good counterarguments to that.

• Improve your self-esteemIf you do not value yourself then you will not value your time or the things that are important to you very much either. The most powerful thing to make it easier to say no is to improve your own self-esteem. With better self-esteem your time and your energy will become a lot more valuable to you and you do not want to waste it. Your sense of what you deserve in life will also go up and you will be less likely to give in to other people's negative ways of persuasion. Like guilt-tripping, being really pushy or simply trying to take advantage of you.

• Remember why you are saying noWhen you are about to say no, remember why you are doing it. Focus on the positive things it will open up in your life such as losing weight because you were able to stick with your Eating Plan, more time for a hobby or simply for relaxing so your stress levels will go down. This positive motivation will help you to go through with your decision even if it feels tough.

• The world will go onIf you have trouble saying no remember that just because you say no to something does not mean that the world will stop. They will manage and life will go on for all of you.

• Always celebrate and analyze your successesYou may not be able to say no to everything you would like to say no to in your week. Even if you use the advice in this article. Do not put too much focus on those few situations though. It will only bring your self-esteem and motivation to cultivate the no-habit down. Instead, focus mostly on your successes. You may just have said no in one or a few small ways this week. That is still something new and great in your life so feel good about it. Pat yourself on the back and celebrate in some small way what you have accomplished and how you have grown as a person. Also have a think about what went well in those situations and what you can learn from them for the future.

Source: Cohen's Weight Loss Clinic