Ever said yes to somebody but really wanted to say no? Ever regretted it afterwards?
Of course if you give your word, our values say we should keep it. But in reality, there’s no law against reneging on your Yes.
Some people are very good at asking, and without a specific reason to say no, we feel like we should say yes. Even when we’re asked to do something that’s going to inconvenience us, or we really don’t have the capacity, or we feel pushed into saying yes, we might still say yes.
So if you’ve said yes but you want to say no, ask yourself:
Whose problem is this anyway?
Will the person really suffer if you say no? If they will, then it’s perfectly fine to decide to continue with your yes. But if it comes at a personal cost to you, and what you’re doing is taking on a problem that’s not yours to solve, and you’ll be asked again and again, then there is no law against withdrawing. If you don’t like to break promises, have a handy reply prepared for next time that person asks.
It’s in your hands to run your life your way.
Joni Page 