"No-vember is about reclaiming our right to say ‘no’ without guilt or hesitation. When we say no to others, we are, in fact, saying yes to ourselves—affirming our boundaries, priorities, and well-being. This month encourages us to let go of people-pleasing habits and embrace self-respect, creating space for what truly enriches our lives. By practicing the art of saying ‘no’ with kindness and confidence, we empower ourselves to live more authentically."
No-vember is upon us, I love sharing this take on this month. I want to shout from the roof tops about reclaiming our right to say ‘no’ without guilt or hesitation, especially with Christmas so close and all of it's demands on our time. When we say no to others, we are, saying yes to ourselves—affirming our boundaries, priorities, and well-being. If you reflect back on the last time you said no to someone or something and how you felt - it'll show you where you're at when it comes to saying no. Do we feel comfortable or are we not able to, YET.
When I started to say no to things, I would physically shake, I was (back then at 30years old) such a people pleaser and because of this I actually put myself in therapy as I knew I wanted to change but didn't know how, as it was so depleting of my energy and of course time as I spent so much of it with people I didn't want to see and in places/events I didn't want to go to. Fast forward 21years on and full disclosure, it's still hard sometimes but I rarely do anything or be with anyone I don't want to be with.
HOW do we start this journey? Here's my top two tips to get started:
Create space before you reply if you'd like to say no but can't yet, just say "let me come back to you on that" or "give me time to check my diary". This gifts you a pause to sit with your response and from there make a balanced & brave decision that serves you.
Notice how it feels in your body when someone asks you to meet up or do an event etc if you feel excitement then it's a sure fire yes but if you feel anxious or stressed, even angry then maybe it's a big phat NO.
I hope this will encourages you to let go of people-pleasing habits and embrace self-respect, creating space for what truly enriches your life. By practicing the art of saying ‘no’ with kindness and confidence, we empower ourselves to live more authentically.
As always get in touch with any questions and all your small or big victories I’d love to hear from you! Jo x
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