Stop saying yes when you want to say no
By Amanda Scali

As we get older and time gets ever more valuable you might find that you are saying yes to a lot of things that you’d much rather not be doing, and it might be one of your goals this year to start saying yes to more of what makes your heart sing and less of what you know doesn’t spark joy.
 
But how do you say no without feeling guilty?
 
Here are our top tips. 
 
Saying No Doesn’t Mean You’re a Bad Person
 
Saying no doesn't mean that you are rude, selfish, or unkind. These are all unhelpful beliefs that make it hard to say no.
 
Saying no is actually allowing you to say yes to things that really mean something to you.
 
More time with your kids, pursuing a hobby that fills your soul or just having more downtime so you can give more of yourself in a meaningful way to others where and when you need to.
 
Knowing Your worth
 
The second step to learning to say no is realising that you are valuable and choosing your own opinion about yourself over others.
 
If you depend on other people's approval, what you are saying is "Their opinion of me is more important than my opinion about myself."
 
Let go of what others think of you and follow your intuition.
 
Be direct when saying no
 
If you have decided that something is not for you, don’t beat around the bush when saying no to things you don’t want to do.
 
Be polite, be courteous and let people know with ample time to make other arrangements.
 
And don't say yes when you know you already don't want to do it and then cancel at the last minute.
 
Have conviction in your choices of what is good for you.
 
 
Don’t lie and give excuses
 
Politely decline any invites that are not for you, but don’t lie about having something else on, etc. If you have decided, it’s not for you then be honest and don’t make excuses. Own your truth.
 
Just decline the invitation with kindness and be proud of yourself for prioritising those things that you enjoy pursuing.