Hello everyone and Happy Friday!
I wanted to take today to remind everyone that the word “No” is a good word. “No” is a necessary word. “No” is a word we all need to have in our vocabulary. You can say “No” to whatever person or activity you want or need to. You can say “No” to people or things that aren’t good for you. You can say “No” to relationships that are toxic. You can say “No” to being overworked and underpaid or not paid at all. You can say “No” to your children when their choices are hurting you, them or others. For both the ladies and the gentlemen, you can say “No” to dating someone. Again for the ladies and the gentlemen, you can say “No” to sex, imagine that! You can say “No” to allowing addiction to control your life. The word “No” can protect us from bad or less than ideal situations or people. The word “No” is powerful and tells the other person you know what you want out of life as well as what you don’t want.
I can promise you those that hear the word “No” will be okay. They will get over it. Once they figure out they can’t manipulate you anymore they will move on to someone else to manipulate. This can be a blessing in disguise. Many times the people we thought were in our corner are not really in our corner, they are only coming around for what they can get out of us. They care nothing for us in reality. They only want to use us. “No” can eliminate a lot of toxicity in our lives – both from people and situations. I love the word “No.” I don’t throw it around haphazardly but I use it when necessary to protect myself, my sanity and my heart. When we can say “No”, we can protect our personal boundaries. Jesus said “No.” Jesus protected His person, His heart and His disciples. “No” can be spoken or it can be demonstrated by our absence in a certain situation or around a certain person. Absence speaks a loud “No!” “No, I will not tolerate what you are doing to me or others or both. No, I will not fund your ability to behave in that manner. No, you are not a safe person, I do not have to nor is it required for me to come around you. No, you are not for me.”
Do you see what I’m getting at today? “No” is a safe word. “No” can be a Godly word. “No” helps us draw a line in the sand where it is necessary for our well-being. “No” helps people see where we begin and end - it also shows them where they begin and end in relation to you. “No” is healthy word! You can love someone or something and say “No”, it is possible. Many times saying “No” is the best things you can do for them!
Practice your “No.” Most of you reading this probably know to who and what you must say “No” to even now. This may not be easy at first but the more you practice, the better you get. Again, I want to emphasize, do not throw the word “No” around haphazardly. You don’t want to say “No” to the right person or situation. You know when a person or situation is hurting you and when it isn’t – listen to your gut. That “gut feeling” is something God put in all of us to help and protect us. Sometimes we listen, sometimes we don’t – allow me to raise my hand first for not listening at times. If your gut is saying or screaming “No”, go with it! You will save yourself much heartache and relational or economic fallout, trust me.
When we say “No” to something or someone bad, we can say “Yes” to something and someone wonderful!
Keep practicing those “No’s!” With much love as well as the ability to say “No”, Elizabeth