Have you ever hesitated to refuse someone’s request?
This may be because we are always considering others and neglecting our own true thoughts and feelings, and then we will find that we feel exhausted and distressed instead of happy when we help others.
What makes us consider others more than ourselves?
In interpersonal relationships, politeness is a basic etiquette. Therefore, we usually will not reject others directly. We hope to avoid conflict and we may tend to consider others’ feelings.
However, over time, we may become afraid to refuse others and neglect our own feelings. Some of our unsatisfied emotions may accumulate and we may become stressed.
When we never learn to say “no”, some people may make even more unreasonable requests, assuming that your efforts are taken for granted without appreciation or gratitude.
Thus, we must learn to say “no” sometimes!
Establishing personal boundaries and setting our principles are important. We should know what situations we should refuse others’ requests, such as when someone makes unreasonable requests, when tasks exceed our capabilities, or when we feel resistance. While considering others, we should also think of ourselves and set standards to protect our own.
Moreover, we can practice communication skills, such as using gentle rejections instead of refusing others directly, or trying to express our thoughts and feelings. Effective communication can help us to avoid negative impacts on relationships with others.
Mutual respect is essential. When making requests, consider more about others’ situation and feelings; when offering help, protect ourselves by establishing appropriate boundaries and principles.