Were you told to:
Stay inside the lines.
Fit in the box.
Blend in.
Don’t be different.
Hug your uncle.
Be kind.
Don’t be disruptive.
Each of these things were in some way telling you what was acceptable, how to fit in, and not ruffle feathers — EVEN if it was so far from what you wanted to do.
You might not have been allowed to say NO.
What if from an early age we were told to be a certain way — to not stand out. Over time, we listened to them and stopped listening to that voice inside us that actually said, “I don’t want to hug my uncle” or “I want to color outside the lines — who cares!?”
Eventually we got so used to just blending in. Maybe because it was easier to please our parents. Maybe we were still figuring out who we were and who we wanted to be.
So, today — think about where in your life you really want to say NO.
Where do you want to scream, rant, stomp with an empowered NO?
Why aren’t you saying it?
What is holding you back?
There is so much in life that we do not have control over — death, pandemics, how other people treat us. What we do have (as hard as it may be) is the ability to say NO.
I dare you to try it.
What if some of the times we are sick is because we are spending all our time pleasing others and not saying NO? What if it is our body’s way of telling us to slow the fuck down?
And then I wonder, do we know how to slow down? Do we know how to say NO? Were we ever taught to say NO? Or were we taught to make other people happy?
As a friend, an employee or a parent, where can you look at where you can say NO?
If you are struggling with where to start, reach out to me and we can chat further so I can share how I can help you find where you can create space for more NO in your life.
