8 ways to say "NO"

It is just a two-letter word, but not a dirty one. It rnis the simplest thing to say, yet we hesitate to say rnit. The inability to say NO can cause mental stress?we rndo not want to do something, yet we cannot refuse, as rnwe always want to be good. The moment I learnt to say rnNO I become happy person and now I can say NO to rnpeople without any guilt. 1. PRACTICE SAYING NO rnI have a photo in my office, which shows Rama looking rnat the golden deer that Sita is pointing at. If only rnRama had said NO, he could have saved Sita and many rnother headaches and heartaches! Saying NO without rnhurting others is a skill. When my wife requested me rnto purchase a Toyota, I had to say NO because I rnalready have a Honda City, and thus saved myself from rnthe stress I could have experienced while trying to rnrepay the loan I would have taken. If you say no once rnyou will get used to the word and will say it with rnease and without guilt. 2. GIVE PRIORITY TO YOURSELF rnThink about your needs and wellbeing first. There is rnnothing bad about it. Don nott feel guilty. Recently a rnclose relative asked me for a loan of Rs 3 lakh for a rnyear. Although he had promised to repay the loan in rntime and with interest, I said NO and saved myself rnfrom sleepless nights, thinking about the rnpossibilities of not getting back the money. I also rnsaved myself from straining the relationship in the rnlong run. 3. IT REQUIRES DETERMINATION rnYears ago, I did not say NO to alcohol and sweets, rnwhich could have saved me from pancreas surgery and rntwo heart bypasses, followed by diabetes, blood rnpressure, glaucoma, and what not! Ten years ago I rnlearnt to say no to all such goodies and here I am rntoday, fit as a fiddle. Similarly, saying no to a rnfriend or a relative also requires determination. Once rnyou are determined you do not want to give any more, rnyour day is mad 4. REALISE THE WEAKNESS rnof not been able to say no. If Yudhistir had said no rnto gambling, Mahabharata wouldn?t have happened. rnRealise that you need to set boundaries for yourself rnand allowing anybody to overstep will be harmful. Your rnno should be a firm one and don?t give up under rnpressure. 5. STICK TO YOUR PLAN rnIf saying YES to someone throws your other plans to rnthe wind, ask yourself if it is worth it. You can say rnno to parties if you have other plans. Just because rnyou have been invited does not mean you have to go. rnLearn to do things that make you happy. 6. EXPLAIN YOUR REASON rnTell your friend why you are unable to do the work for rnher. Make it clear that your reason to say no is not rnunreasonable. Since I have learnt to say NO to my rnfriends and relatives?of course, when I feel it is not rnpossible to accommodate their requests, I am a happier rnperson living without guilt. 7. NO CAN BE BENEFICIAL rnDo not let anybody take you for granted. Saying NO is rnyour right. Let others respect your right. 8. BUY TIME rnIf you hesitate to say NO, then buy some time. If you rncannot say no to the person directly, tell him to give rnyou some time to think. Get back him later and tell rnhim politely that you could not accommodate his rnrequest.