In a time of trying to constantly please people, are we saying "yes" too much? And what does that really do to us, to constantly say "yes?"
There are a few articles out there on this, the benefits of saying "no." The hard thing is that humans thrive on social acceptance. This New York Times article says, "the word 'no' feels like a confrontation that threatens a potential bond."
And we, as humans, are afraid of what that may do. So, how can you effectively say "no?" The article suggests using the phrase "I don't" instead of "I can't" or a more passive statement.
"I don't" implies that you have a set of rules for yourself. You can practice this by starting with smaller things like when a cashier offers you a store credit card. Instead of saying "no thanks, not today," you can say "I don't use store credit cards."
An article from Life Hacker says that people worry that saying no is like a big ole middle finger. But, it's actually the opposite. The article says it shows you have a vision, a plan, and an opinion and that way you can begin to eliminate distractions.
So, by saying "no," even though the word may seem negative, it can actually free up a lot of your time and energy to focus on things that really do bring you joy.