Just Say No

The word "no" is small but mighty, just like the intensity of sbd fart in a crowded room. We find plenty of times where the phrase "just say no" is so applicable and easy to utter. Talking to a teenager about peer pressure and drugs and alcohol--Just say NO, to an already intoxicated friend reaching for another cocktail--Just say NO, to our weight conscious friend reaching for the slice of chocolate cake--Just say NO, to the fashion impaired husband who thinks he needs another Hawaiian shirt--Just say NO. In these instances the word 'no' rolls off our tongue with ease and precision, without issue, cutting right to the point. There is no uncertainty that in any of these situations our opinion is clear, no ambiguity, the answer is NO.

This is the same case with my children when strolling through the store every item on the shelf is cue for the request "Can I have this?" Often times with them not even knowing what 'this' is. NO. "Honey there is a great deal on a 52" HDTV, don't you think we should get it while it's on sale?!" NO. It seems so easy...why then is it so difficult to utter this small little 2-letter word when it really matters? When we really have no interest in participating in a certain event, purchasing a particular product or even performing a voluntary task? Let's be honest, how many times have you gone to yet another home party, knowing full well that you had no need, interest or desire to purchase any of the product being offered, just because you were too chicken to say no? How many times have you begrudgingly given up a Saturday to help a friend move for the 15th time in 3 years just because you couldn't utter the word no, or worse you made up some stupid sorry excuse as to what other task you had to accomplish just to avoid saying no? How many times have you gotten roped into the 20 minute presentation for the Dead Sea Salt Scrub at the mall kiosk because you didn't just say no? I'm not judging...I do it too.

I've always felt anxiety over this word. I guess it's the natural tendency to try and be a people pleaser. Not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, I've always consented to things that I didn't want or didn't want to do. It wasn't until recently that I was placed on the receiving end of the response that I've found a new confidence with voicing my disinterest.

Working with Team Beachbody it is my job to present fitness and nutrition products and the coaching business opportunity to people who may or may not be interested, and there is really no way to know if someone might have an interest until I offer it to them. I can't tell you how much frustration I am met with when someone feigns interest. For those of you who have never worked sales of any kind there is a buzz phrase that is "The fortune is in the follow-up." So, plain and simple, if you act like you're interested, I'm going to talk to you about it again, but if you just say no, the conversation is over--not our friendship, just the conversation. I won't hassle you about it any further, I won't try to convince you that the opportunity is everything you've been looking for or the products with revolutionize your life (though I believe that they will). I'm not in the business of pressuring people, I don't want to waste your time or mine if you aren't interested, because while I'm sending you the 10th email about Shakeology, I'm missing my friend's post requesting weight loss tips--another opportunity. Yet even while I know this, and I feel this way, I still find myself pretending to be interested in an embroidered diaper bag when I usually just throw a diaper and wipes in my over-sized purse! I flip through a Pampered Chef catalog, even commenting on how cool some of the products are, knowing full well that if I try to cram even one more pineapple corer or cherry pitter into my over stuffed shoe box sized kitchen it will probably burst at the seams. I stress over rearranging my schedule and finding a sitter so that I can attend another meeting or party with people I don't even like that much.

So, I say to you and myself, have confidence in your voice, put on your big girl panties and "Just Say NO" I promise you that no real friend will end your friendship because you didn't buy a cherry cobbler scented candle.