When Do I Say NO?

When you keep saying yes to people, you are selling your right to happiness – Sarah Chiejile 

For many years, I was living a life that I thought was mine but wasn’t. How sad can that be? Very sad.


This is what happens to someone who wants to please everyone. That was who I was. I was the type that don’t want to say NO to anybody so that you won’t get mad at me. So that I won’t be tagged a snub. Well, I was doing myself a disservice thinking I was been real. 

This happens till I entered college and from my interactions with so many people, one of them actually noticed this character and had to sit me down and speak to me. He asked me if I know what my problem is? A question to which my answer was negative. He said ‘your problem is you don’t know how to say NO’.

Those words, though not lengthy, sank deep into me and I had to sit down and think about who I really am and made adjustment where necessary  saying NO when I need to and saying YES when I need to and not the opposite. 

So, when should I say NO to people? 

1. Say No when saying yes will hurt you. Don’t go about trying to please everyone while displeasing yourself or when such will land you in serious trouble. 

2. Say NO when what you are been told to do contradicts God’s commands. You have the Holy Writ with you daily and what to do and what not to do is clearly spelt out there. So when a command is given that contradicts what is written in the Holy Writ then you have to say NO.

3. Say NO when boundaries are not respected

4. Say NO when your rights are been infringed. 

Please mean it when you do say NO. Let your ‘Yea’ be ‘Yea’ and your Nay, Nay. 

Share with me instances where you have had to say NO please. Use the comment section for that.

Thank you 

Sarah