The Power of NO, I mean it Nooooooooooo!
No NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
You know how powerful this word is if you ever were around a 2 year old. They relish this word and say it over and over and louder. It is a word of power and has great meaning.
The power of NO
This blog posting was inspired by Linda Fladung Hofstad. Linda shared, “Say NO sometimes, instead of adding more stuff to that list. I recently made myself set a deadline of Sept. 15 to get my current list completed. My self imposed rule of not adding anything to my schedule before then was the best thing I did. It helped my stress tremendously! Yes, I have a new list for after the 15th 
, but I’m not worrying about it until the 15th!”
As adults we can be timid to use it. We get roped into weddings, birthday parties, vacation visits, relatives stays, committees, and so much more because we do not say NO. No is not a bad word. People will not think less of you and if they do then what kind of friend are they?
Linda’s point is well made. Say NO to yourself. Don’t create an insane to do list or schedule that will wear you down and make you sick and frustrated. I see this often when people plan a vacation. They make plans to see and do so much that you have to go back to work in order to relax and recover from the vacation.
Saying NO to yourself is a good exercise in self-discipline. As a friend suggested, just because you think it does not mean that you should do it. Build in a stop gap or pause where you consider the reality of that new commitment.
Deeply relax and think about your life, your energy and your schedule. Do these new things you want to do really fit? Is there another way to arrange your time so that it flows better – like keeping a list and buying groceries one day a week.
Feel free to say NO to yourself!
www.cliving.org – learn many ways to relax and master stress.
Dr Tim Lowenstein (c) 2009
All Rights Reserved Contact Dr Tim for permission to reprint. info@stressmarket.com 
