Saying NO to people we love
In the last week or so, I had to say quite a few NOs.
The World Nomadic event I'm organizing in Portugal in a couple of weeks got filled up. I didn't think it would, as the event was designed for the DC entrepreneurial group I'm part of, but I guess life had its own plan.
At first, I felt uncomfortable turning people down, some of whom I know really well, but then I realized the only one who is creating the discomfort is me, and I don't have to.
Space filling up is part of life.
Limits and boundaries are part of life.
Despite all of the above and the obvious necessity of saying NO in life, it can still be a challenge for me, and I believe it is for most people.
Somehow along the way I adopted the belief that saying NO means “I'm not loving.” I probably adopted this in my childhood, getting quite a few NOs from my parents.
But I have come to learn that there's a difference between a loving NO and a not-so-loving NO.
A loving NO comes from the heart. It is respectable. More importantly, a loving NO can be a gift of love.
Because a NO—any NO for that matter—is really a YES to something else.
And it's definitely more loving than a bitter YES.
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Writer
Tal Gur is a location independent entrepreneur, author, and impact investor. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His most recent book and bestseller, The Art of Fully Living - 1 Man, 10 Years, 100 Life Goals Around the World, has set the stage for his new mission: elevating society to its abundance potential.
