If Nobelium could speak, its first word would be no.
(Don’t quote me on that if you have a Chemistry test coming up, though. 😉 )
Over the past few years I’ve slowly been learning to say no without feeling guilty for it. There are still certain situations that trip me up, but I’m finding a lot of freedom in the idea that few things in life are compulsory.
It’s good to volunteer, spend time with loved ones, or do favours for other people. No one has the right to your time, though. Even if you said yes the last ten times or there’s no one else around to do it.
No.
Sometimes one small word is a full sentence. It doesn’t always need a reason to prop it up.
Just no.
The more you say it, the easier it is to let it stand on its own.
And the easier it is to find space for all of the Yeses in your life.