No.

It’s such a small word, but it is huge for business owners.

(And, let’s be honest, people in general.)

Why is this little word so hard for us to say?

I have found that women in particular really struggle with this.

We say “yes” when we mean “no.”

We get overcommitted.

We let people steal our valuable time and we don’t speak up for ourselves.

Saying no is about so much more than those two little letters.

Learning to say no is about setting healthy boundaries.

Boundaries are absolutely one of the most essential things that entrepreneurs need.

Sometimes people say it is selfish to say no or set boundaries, but boundaries aren’t just for us.

They are really about being clear in the world so people know what to expect from us.

When I talk to my clients about boundaries, I always start with saying the word “no.”

For some people, they have struggled with this task for years – even decades.

It can be hard to unlearn the aversion to that word.

So, I have them practice saying “no” in front of a mirror over and over and over again.

Setting boundaries (and saying no) is essential to taking care of yourself.

You need time to simply be.

Take time for yourself to exist.

We women always want to be helpful and wonder what others will think of us if we aren’t.

So, we say yes to the PTA/neighbor/friend/client/bake sale/fundraiser…you get the idea.

All of a sudden we can’t seem to fit in the things that should be at the top of our priority list.

Stop this madness now and start setting healthy boundaries!

If you take nothing else from this post, please (please!) remember this.

You need to say “no” to enough things so you can take at least 24 hours off a week…IN A ROW.

Yes, a whole day off.

Schedule it into your calendar.

This is time for you and your family – time with your kids.

No work can penetrate this time.

And, no, you can’t take these 24 hours in chunks over the week.

Your mind needs to disengage from the day-to-day tasks so it can be creative, think outside the box, and come up with new ideas.

Your brain simply can’t do that if you are always focused on getting the job done.

Setting boundaries and saying “no” can be hard at first, but it is so important.

Saying “no” doesn’t kill anyone – actually, it makes everything better for everybody.

Challenge: find at least one thing you would usually say “yes” to when you mean “no” and make a change. It’s like a muscle that needs to be exercised. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Then, share your “no” moment in the comments so we can celebrate your boundary-setting success!

Until then…stay passionate!