No Means No

     Many times people agree to things just to keep down chaos. In truth, they don’t want to say yes. If they don’t say yes, they explain themselves so that they seem less callous. Is there merit to saying no and meaning it?

     As a girl, you’re taught to be agreeable and never rock the boat. The worst thing you can be viewed as is “mean”. This is highly unrealistic and contradictory to what boys are taught. There is nothing wrong with saying no and meaning it.

     An example that comes to mind is the company Christmas party. It’s annual and absolutely dreadful. At least 7 people asked me why I wasn’t going last year. To be honest, many of my coworkers are rude and have made my job difficult. Why would I ever spend time with them outside of work? I never go to the party anyway, so why mess with tradition? I held firm. I wished them a good time, but I was staunch about my lack of attendance. Best. Decision. Ever. On Monday, the office buzzed with the mishaps of the Christmas party.

     In the grand tradition of company parties, foolishness ensued. One coworker was not only inebriated but improperly dressed to boot. He was so drunk, that he knocked over things and had gotten the attention of two of the managers. Not to be outdone, a wife of one of the managers was flirty with a few members of male staff and not her husband.

     When saying no, go with your gut. Stick with your decision without wavering. Most importantly, you don’t have to explain yourself. You’ve made your decision and that’s good enough.