Yunshan Li [Week 11]: A Powerful Word
Week 11: A Powerful Word – 2/16 - [4:52PM].
However, as I began to read deeper into the article, it began to make sense. The main point that the article brought up is that saying “no” can help you set guidelines that will create healthy relationships. In a relationship, one person should not have to bend over backward for the other person; people need to set a limit and say “no” when others are asking for more than they are willing to provide. Knowing when to say “no” can also improve one's mental health as it keeps people from overworking themselves. The article helped me understand why it is important to say “no” and prioritize my own feelings even if you feel bad about it sometimes.
I related the content of this article to a recent event in my life. For the Spring sports season. I desperately wanted to try out for the track team despite knowing that I am too busy to make time for it. I went to tryouts for 2 days and on both of those days, I slept unhealthy late. On the third day, I decided to put myself first and say “no” to the track team. I honestly think I made a good decision looking back because there is no way I could have done track without completely destroying my mental health.
Image: https://keeta.ph/unlock-the-hidden-power-of-saying-no/
Hey Yunshan! I feel like I greatly relate with your initial sentiment, as modern day society is all about getting to your goals and not much actual emphasis is placed on being happy with yourself. Knowing when to say no is certainly an important thing not just to say no to yourself but also to say no to others. It's good that you kept your own mental health first though, as that is not something many people have the guts or brains to do.
ReplyDeleteHey Yunshan! You bring up a great point. The word “no” helps us create boundaries and by using it, we become more and more responsible about ourselves. The word “no” outlines relationships and our health, just like you said. Especially being a junior in high school, the importance of understanding what we can afford to do versus what becomes irresponsible and unreasonable is key to maintaining a healthy academic and social life. Oftentimes we can get sidetracked by the temporary pleasure that comes from procrastination, but learning to refuse the temptation can make all the difference when it comes to stopping bad habits. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Sophia, I can actually relate to your blog on a very personal level. I believe that my biggest problem when it comes to relationships with others is not setting proper boundaries. I am too easygoing sometimes and I let others do things that go past my comfort zone, even if it is unintentional because I do not want to say "no" to them. This behavior is actually harmful to both parties in the relationship. Recently I have been keeping in mind that setting proper boundaries are super important and have been actively working on saying "no" when I need to.
ReplyDeleteHey Yunshan, the act of saying "no" is definitely one that should not be overlooked in life. Saying "no," although might make you miss opportunities, will save you from having regret afterwards. You should never agree to acts that you feel uncomfortable with, although this definitely is very difficult in modern society with the prevalence of peer pressure, especially among teenagers our age. Sometimes, saying "no" might even be scary; you fear the consequences of judgement from your peers if you do not agree or follow the same ideas they hold, but that sometimes is the sacrifice you must make. Thank you for showing the necessity for people to recognize the need to say "no" in certain situations.
ReplyDeleteYunshan, what a relatable post to read. Even in my life, my parents always taught me to say yes and made me feel that saying no was a shameful, bad thing. As I grew up, I needed to learn to say no and let me tell you, it was hard to put me first. Unlearning something that has been drilled into you for years is difficult but not impossible. Last year when registration forms came out, everyone said they were taking 4, 5 AP classes. Hearing that it made me want to push myself to take more AP classes but I knew that I was not capable of it. I had to tell myself do I really want to take these classes because I am interested in the subject or to not seem like an outlier. At the end, I said NO and I put myself first.
ReplyDeleteHi Yunshan! Saying no is really important, as like you said, it helps us set boundaries and maintain our mental health. Especially in high school, it is hard for us to balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and everything else that we do. It was really great that you prioritized your well-being and health and said no. While it may seem tempting to get swept up in the rush of what all our peers are doing, it is important to learn when to step back and say no when we are burdened with so much. It is especially hard to say no when it means that you are setting yourself apart from your peers and doing something different. While it is difficult, it's important to know that everyone is different, and to something one person says no to, another person might say yes.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading that article. I have always been someone who struggled to put myself on the list, forget first, and set boundaries to keep myself safe and healthy. It truly is an active choice to care for ourselves and I never acknowledged the active self-preserving steps that I needed to take. Looking back on a lot of ways I acted when I was younger, I do get sad and worried. A sense of wanting to play myself Vienna by Billy Joel and tell my younger self that I’m allowed to have needs. I hope your attitude towards yourself only gets better, you deserve to feel safe and comfortable and more than anything, you’re allowed to have needs. I hope I learn to have those boundaries as well, we’re all works in progress. Thank you for giving me a moment to reflect.
ReplyDeleteHey Sophia, I can also relate to your thinking on how important it is to say “yes” and to not say “no” as to not miss out on opportunities. I don’t really like saying “no” not only because I was taught that it is important to strive for the best by challenging myself, but I also am afraid of the responses I might get. I would consider myself to be someone who often cares too much about other people’s opinions, but like you hinted, it is definitely important to set your boundaries by saying no which I will keep reminding myself to do especially since it can significantly affect your mental health. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Yushan, I understand how hard it is to say no sometimes and I think it is quite common for many people, however, it is also a crucial skill. Oftentimes, peer pressure is successful because individuals are unable to say no which can be dangerous or make that individual extremely uncomfortable. Over the years, my friends have reminded me of the importance of saying no to people who have bad intentions or make me uncomfortable rather than just avoiding them or trying to change the subject. In the future, hopefully more people will be able to be more direct with how they are feeling rather than being too polite for the benefit of others.
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