It Doesnt Hurt To Say No

Have you been told “it doesn’t hurt to ask?” Or some form of it? There are lots of different ways to say it. The phrase is often engrained in schools, businesses, and life. I remember being told in elementary school. And it’s good advice.

It’s usually followed by “the worse that could happen, is they say no.” Who’s afraid of hearing no? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It’s good advice. It’s a nice anecdote.

On the flip side of this phrase is the person being asked. There should be an anecdote for this person, “it doesn’t hurt to say no.”

I find that because someone asked, the person being asked feels an obligation to answer (say “Yes”). I see this a lot. A person feel they are not given permission, or are unable to say no to what’s being asked. This is very unfair. The person asking only had to ask. The person being asked just got a task unwillingly assigned to them. Saying yes is allowing other people to dictated your time.

It can create madness and stress for other people. Stress that cold be avoided by saying “no.”

“It doens’t hurt to say no,” needs to be as popular in our schools, businesses, and life.