Saying No or Politely Declining a Request

It can be difficult to assert your power, but we all have the ability to decline an invitation or request. All we have to do is say no. In certain situations, we may have to go as far as ignoring a request, though it is not always necessary. With a little practice, you can learn how to assert your power again.

When someone asks you to do something and you don’t want to accept that request, just say no. You can say is with respect. In other cases, you might have to do a little more than just saying no. But, don’t feel the need to give a long explanation or reason as to why you said no. Just saying no is enough sometimes. You may have to repeatedly say no, or ignore the person. Either way, your request should be granted. You shouldn’t feel bad about saying no too.

A good rule of thumb is to keep it as brief as possible. You can be polite and say, “Thank you for asking.” You can apologize if you want to, but otherwise, try not to apologize when saying no. Every person has the right to say no.

Some people feel bad about saying no because they are kind, considerate people. But sometimes, you have to take the initiative to say no. You shouldn’t feel as if someone is taking advantage of you.

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