HOW TO HANDLE A NO

To any request, question, or expectation, we can get a Yes, a No, or a thousand other things in between.?

In a bid to soften out the hard edges, most times, a lot of us end up going with one or more of the thousand little things in between. However, other times, the answer cannot be coated or tweaked, or painted, it is either a YES or a NO.?

Have you ever received a No? Did it hurt?

In this article, I am going to show you how you can manage a No situation without having your mental health in shambles. I would also show you how to turn a No to your advantage.?

At this point, allow me to refer to a great perspective often shared. NO is not the end. NO simply means Next Opportunity.?

At this point, you’re wondering, how do I handle the NOs, find out in the next couple of lines. Now, I won’t be focusing on a specific category. I’d simply provide generic tips that can be effective regardless of your personalized situation. So your No could manifest when you’re trying to get support from an acquaintance or senior. Your No could be in your business, getting negative feedback or ghosted after you’ve pitched your product/services for the umpteenth time. Your No could be in a romantic relationship or desired romantic relationship. Your No could be in your request for financial assistance or any other type of assistance. Your No could be from the list of academic and professional scholarship applications you’ve invested your time and emotions in putting out.?

How To Care For Your Mental Health After a No:

1. Borrowing a leaf from the previously shared phrase. NO is not the end of the world. It simply means this did not go as planned, time to look at the next opportunity.?
2. Do not villainize those who said no to you. In the same vein, do not victimize yourself. Whoever says no to whatever did so, most likely, did so because both your interest does not align at the moment. Maybe the services you are pitching at the time do not exactly solve his/her problem. Or they do not think you have enough track record for them to attach a level of worth to the services you are proposing. This would lead to the next point.?
3. Get better. Do a non-sentimental appraisal of what you were proposing or applying or asking for, and truthfully judge how developed you are in that field or craft. How do you stand side-by-side with others proposing similar services or requests? How can you get better? Where and What can you improve upon?
4. Take intentional steps into bettering yourself, bettering your craft, bettering your presentation, etc.?
5. The previous points seem to be all solid and stiff. You might be wondering I’m experiencing an emotional breakdown here and might not have the willpower to start “doing” all over again immediately. Relax. So you want to take a chilled glass of water. Water, they say has no enemy. Don’t ask me about the flood situation please. So, drink water or any drink of your choice and savor every taste.?
6. Understand that any and everyone has the right to say no. As do you. So when you get a no, it is not the end of the world but simply an exercise of natural human rights. In simple terms, do not take it to heart.?
7. Take the No as a challenge. View it, I’d, however, advise you to do this wisely, as a temporary judge of your efforts. Take it as you got a no because you got one or two or more things wrong or not great enough. Then, challenge yourself to get better.?
8. Also, learn and understand that No might be a way of the universe letting you know that this is not for you. There are other options, most likely better options that you will have, but not just this one.?
9. Look at the bright side. You got a No this time, but you have gotten a number of Yeses before now. Let that tell you that you are more than one No.?
10. If you feel the episode is taking too much toll on your mental health, call your therapist and speak with him/her. If you are one of those who still find it hard to normalize having a therapist, maybe jokes on you. Just maybe.?

How To Say No Without Losing Your Humanity

1. First, it is not a crime to say no. You have every right to say no, given you are not doing that from a place of spite, etc. Internalize that.?
2. Simply, be humane. Don’t say no in such a way that makes the recipient feel less than a human. If you can, if time permits you, let the recipient know why you said no. This will help them make necessary improvements and receive better responses in the future.?
3. Remember, the world goes around in circles. Make sure to say no in a way that, as much as possible, does not destroy the relationship you previously held or might later hold with the asker. To help with this, before you say no, truthfully answer the following questions:
4. Will you appreciate it if you received a similar response packaged in that same way from someone else??
5. Would you be able to make a request from that person in the near future.?
6. Even without thinking about what could come back to you as shared in the previous point, it is only right for you to do whatever you do from a place of sheer decency and kindness.?

Let me know if this article helped.?