Saying No
1)Become aware: Turn to Nature to help you.
How do the seasons work? A cycle of change each leading to the other.
Spring: a time of preparing and sowing
Summer: a time of doing and growth
Autumn: a time of reaping and harvesting
Winter: a time of rest and letting the land lie fallow
Take a look at your life through this seasonal lens.
What percentage of your week is in Spring and Summer mode: racing around, doing, doing, acting, acting?
How much conscious or indeed unconscious value do you place on that busy mode?
How often do you sit in winter: truly resting, recuperating, being still?
How much value do you place on non-doing?
Simply notice how you spend most of your time.
2) Challenge your thinking: Ask yourself some questions.
What would be the impact of saying no?
What would it mean to myself? My company? My family? To others?
Notice a tendency to think of the negative impacts first.
Stretch yourself to think of the positive impact: short and long term.
How would saying no benefit myself, my company, others?
3) Practice: Embody saying “No”
Try out the “no” pose.
Stand firm. One leg forward with the weight on that foot.
Raise one hand ( the same as the forward leg) and hold it out in front of your heart with your palm and fingers open.
Hold the other hand in a loose fist by your hip.
Imagine a scenario in which too much is asked of you.
Firmly say “no” out loud.
Don’t lean too far forward or too far back. Don’t over or under-extend your arm. Don’t over clench your fist.
Simply be grounded, firm and resolute and calm in your no.
Practice this by yourself ( feeling rather silly maybe at first).
Notice the quiet strength of it.
Transfer that feeling and capability to daily life.
So in a nutshell, to bring a little more “no” into your life:
Become aware. Challenge your thinking. Practice.
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