“No”vember.

Raise your hand if you find it hard to say "no".

💁

From saying "no" to ourselves (that extra piece of pumpkin pie), to saying "no" to a friend (I know you baked this yourself, but no more pumpkin pie for me) all the way to saying "no" to a relationship that is no longer healthy (dear pumpkin pie, this isn't working and we need to go our separate ways) - saying that two-letter word can be so incredibly difficult to do!

The skill of identifying and respecting boundaries - a fancy way of saying no - is a huge part of what we teach at BAE. Whether it's using your classmate's correct pronouns, encouraging young people to step on to a stage for the first time, or guiding someone to share something they've never shared before, knowing when to say "no", "yes", and "maybe later" is key!

An appropriately placed "no" can be so liberating and healing, so why is it so hard to say it sometimes? It all goes back to scarcity and abundance. When you operate from a scarcity mindset (fear of the future, low confidence), you feel like you can't afford to not say yes, because what if this is the last opportunity you'll ever get? When you operate from an abundance mindset (high self-worth, self-love, self-celebration), it makes it so much easier to say no until the right choice comes along.

I find it just as challenging to hear the word no. I spend every day cultivating and appreciating donors. And sometimes when I ask, people say no! But, to everyone who has ever said no to me, I say "way to go!" I'm encouraging all the no's this season, so that we can all save up our yeses for the things that really matter and the things that truly give us joy. It makes all the folks who have said yes that much more special!

I hope you'll join me in celebrating "No-vember" this month, and every month! Let me know how it goes🙂