If you're reading this, you are probably like me. All through middle school and high school, it was very hard to say no to people no matter what it was. I would always feel bad for saying no even if it was the littlest thing. I always felt that I was going to hurt someone's feelings so I did whatever they asked me to do.
To the people who are too nice to say no:
I was where you are once in my life. Trust me, it is hard sometimes and you throw a lot on yourself at times. Just know that it is totally okay to say no once in awhile. No one will throw a fit over you saying no.
First off, I have learned that it is 100% okay to say no to people. Saying no to someone does not mean that you are not nice anymore. Saying no is a perfectly okay thing to do. Whether someone is asking you to help with a project for your school or if someone asks you to do something you have no desire to do, it is okay to say no.
Sometimes you have so much going on in your life that adding something else to your pile of things to do will stress you out more. After a while, saying no actually can empower you. It can give you that confidence you need at the end of the day.
Second, saying no does not mean that you are a weaker person.
Saying no can be a good thing as well.
Just because you are busy or have a lot going on in life doesn't mean that you are weak for saying no to someone. Again, it is 100% okay to say no when you don't want to do something or if you can't physically or mentally do it. No one will make a big deal out of it.
They will just move on. It won't hurt.
Third, saying no will not affect your friendships. If your friends ask you to do something and you either don't want to do it or you quite frankly don't have the money to do whatever your friends invited you to, it totally okay to say no. You might miss out on a little thing here and there but doing something you don't want to would not be fun.
It might put you in an uncomfortable position or you might be bored. None of your friends will make it a big deal if you say no anyways. Just be yourself around your friends and they will love you for who you are.
Fourth, saying no does not mean that you are a bad person. For example, if a guy tells you he likes you and asks if you like him back, it is perfectly fine saying no if you don't have the same feelings he does. It won't hurt his feelings as much as you think it will. In the long run, you won't be happy if you're with someone you don't like 100%. Don't be afraid to say no.
No matter what the situation is, do not be afraid to say no. Throughout my middle and high school years, I have realized that saying no to things I did not want to do, would have made my life easier and less stressful, but looking back on it, I have grown a lot and realized my weakness.
