That’s a “No" For Me.

Photo: Isaiah Rustad

I was halfway into writing my newsletter yesterday when I found out that Justice Ginsburg had died. Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it. I feel horrible for her family, and horrible for our country, but she was another force of nature this year who held on for us as long as she could. It's up to us now not to abandon the fight. But seriously, this year sucks.

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Ironically, I was going to write about the art of saying "No" because of a not-so-great experience of mine recently. Didn't trust my intuition, walked into a wonky situation, fear-based thinking, etc., etc. Amazing that it didn't work out, huh? Rejection is tough. Even the word "rejection" is tough. But it's even tougher as entrepreneurs because everything we see is an opportunity that could work out. Maybe. Plus, you don't want to piss anyone off, right? We live and work in a small world.

What I tell my own clients and mentees is definitely don't ghost, and find other, nicer ways of being upfront about not being interested. "As it turns out, I'm not available/can't do that" is what Apple goes for. Using "can't" instead of "won't" "I don't want to" is a little more definitive. You can also build "No" into your contract, too.

Here are some more tips in the art of saying "No." And yes, they basically all have the same title...

Inc.- 7 Tips For Saying No Effectively. I'm a fan of #5 and #6, particularly.

Grammarly - How to Say No: A Guide to Saying No Politely. I love this one because because of the alternative that creative pros are used to - referring the person to someone else. A win-win-win. Oh, and #4, which I've really appreciated now that I've gone B to B.

Science of People - How to Say No: 3 Steps for People Pleasers. You know who you are. #2 might be tough for you, but try.

Have a wonderful weekend! Remember, I'm available to make any tweaks or changes you want to your workflow systems or website. Click here to schedule a consultation with me next week!

Stay safe, and I'll talk to you soon,

Elizabeth