Do you struggle to say “no”? Do you find yourself apologizing when you say “no”? Are you wanting to make and sustain positive changes in your life?
In this podcast episode, Ron and Lexie Lee speak about intentionality and self-care through learning that it is okay to say “no”.
In this Podcast:
- Practice intentionality
- What are some small things you can practice saying “no” to?
- The “it’s okay to say no” formula
Practice intentionality
Big shifts and life changes can offer themselves as an opportunity for you to make a shift in your personal life.
What do we want to include in our lives and what do we not want to include. We had this opportunity to be … intentional.
Lexie Lee
Whether these shifts are as big as the pandemic, or smaller like the changing of a job or a goal, you can use this space to take away things that perhaps were holding you back and replace them with things that you want to add to your life.
What are some small things you can practice saying “no” to?
It can be easy to slip back into old habits if you are not intentional about what you want to add back in.
Lexie Lee
Even if you have the best intentions, you have to enact them into your daily routine so that they become positive habits in your life.
This will come when you start to say “no” more than you say “yes”, ironically!
You can practice saying “no” to things like:
- Requests from friends
- Invitations to take part in extra roles at work that may not be paid
- Any event or job that does not move your purpose forward
There is a balance between saying “yes” and “no”, and you can find it, but do not feel bad for saying “no” when you feel that you need to.
The “it’s okay to say no” formula
1 – Set the expectations for what you want your life to look like
2 – Identify the things that are priorities for you
3 – Say “yes” to the things that align with your priorities and “no” to the rest
The formula is: “[Gratitude] ___ no, ___ [alternative]”.
This is what it looks like: I’m glad that you invited me for coffee on Tuesday, it means a lot. No, I’m not going to be able to do that. But, I’d love to have coffee with you on Friday?
Remember that you do not have to explain yourself, or say “sorry” when you say “no” to a request or invitation.
You have to be able to say “no” because the main thing you have to do is protect yourself and have that boundary surrounding yourself.
Ron Lee
Your “yes” has to be for you, and saying “no” to make space for your “yes” does not make you selfish.
You need to be able to say “no” to protect yourself from burnout, and therefore, in the long run, saying “no” more often than you say “yes” is beneficial to you and those around you.
When I know what my priorities are, what my expectations are, then it makes it really easy to clearly [say], “This is a “no” from me, and that’s okay”.
Lexie Lee
Resources Mentioned and Useful Links
Improve Your Communication: How to get Expectations to Meet Reality – Ep 15
Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
Practice of the Practice Network
Connect with the Married Entrepreneurs
Visit the Married Entrepreneurs Website
Email us at: Info@marriedentrepreneurspodcast.com
About the Married Entrepeneurs Podcast
We have such a passion for meeting new people and helping those peeps who are crazy like us and have decided that two entrepreneurs who don’t follow the traditional path should be in business together while married to each other.
We met each other over 25 years ago and although it was not love at first sight, it is a love story for the history books. We have navigated how to be married, which can be a feat in itself, and survived the early years of keeping the children alive; also not easy. And we did all this while being in multiple businesses together. When we say we have been there, we mean it. We have made poor choices in the past, struggled to make a profit, and had to learn not to listen to all those who say you can’t mix business with pleasure. Sound familiar? Want to join us on this journey? We are unpacking what we have learned in this process and as marriage counselors by trade while also bringing on other experts who can help us all on this path to avoid failing businesses and divorce court. Join us on the path to happily ever after and listen today.