The Comfort in Saying No

I’ve found so much comfort in saying no and not feeling any guilt about it.

For so long, I felt like I owed people my yes. I’d say yes when I wanted to rest, yes when I didn’t have the energy, yes when I knew it was going to stretch me thin. That kind of “yes” doesn’t come from love it comes from guilt.

Now? There’s solace in saying no in every aspect of my life.
No to hanging out when I’d rather be home.
No to peer pressure.
No to cooking when ordering out is the only energy I have.
No when my body says no.
No when my mind says no.

Because every “no” is actually me saying yes, yes to comfort, yes to peace, yes to myself.

It took time to get here though. For a long time, saying no felt uncomfortable. Like I was letting someone down or being difficult. But that guilt was temporary and on the other side of that discomfort was peace I didn’t even know I needed.

Saying no is one of the most freeing forms of self-care I’ve learned. It’s not selfish, it’s secure.

So if you haven’t tried it yet, do it. Say no and mean it. Watch how good it feels once the guilt fades and the peace settles in.

What’s something you recently said no to and didn’t regret?
Drop it in the comments below. Let’s normalize choosing peace, even when it’s uncomfortable.