why is it hard to say no?

“We need to learn the slow ‘yes’ and the quick ‘no’”, stated Warren Buffett, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Another quote by Tony Blair, Former prime minister of the United Kingdom states “The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes” But for many people, it is not easy to say no.but, what makes it so hard to say that monosyllabic word?
Human interactions are quite reliant on reciprocity, which makes us feel that not obliging socially will threaten our bonds with people. Amongst our struggles to fit in with our peers and keep them happy, some worry that saying “no” might make those same peers reflect them. Other than that, the fear of saying no also urges to avoid any conflicts or confrontations or making someone upset or hurt their feelings.
Dara Blaine, a career counsellor in Los Angeles states that “some people are conditioned to think that if they say no, they will not move forward in life, which is absolutely false.” She continued to say that “it’s when people learn to say no that their careers really take off”.
Study also shows that women often find it difficult to say no compared to men, mainly because of the reasons of not wanting to piss them off(mostly men), or wanting to protect the ego of the other person. While not saying ‘no’ when a person really wants to, it may help avoid immediate discomfort of confrontation, but in the long term causes resentment, emotional stress and sometimes even depression.
Why is it important to say NO?
It is important to say no as when you say no, you prioritise your own feelings and needs over others.
Saying no is a sign of respect as saying yes can later cause resentment against a person and can ruin a relationship. So, when you say no, it indicates respect for yourself and for the other person.
Experts encourage people to take control of their own lives and assert boundaries by learning to say no. When a person says no, it really reflects that the person is in the drivers seat of their own life…it gives a sense of empowerment.